🔗 Share this article Qatar's Short Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Live Coverage Opening Notes Philip is about to begin to guide you through this day's sprint race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT). Current Events Starting Lap Period The starting lap has started. Circuit Details We have nineteen laps of the longest circuit in F1, the commentator reminds us. Final Moments The final countdown is underway. Driver Situation An advantage in Verstappen's favour: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. It's improbable to interfere with the team's main man. Interview Updates Sky interviewing Sky now: the analyst is with Mercedes. Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to 2026, speaking with the engineer about his stepping up to Aston Martin team principal. Starting Positions Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming 20th and last in the previous race, resulting in an eighth position in the grand prix, he did not manage to make it out of Q1 again on the previous day. Ferrari have as a result adjusted to his setup and so he will start from the pit lane. Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position. Driver Comments "We take the learning for tomorrow," says Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect a lot of that. Team Standings It's not all about the individual championship: The team have dominated the team championship but the team, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, are aiming to seal second place this weekend. George Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader. Past Performance Oscar Piastri won that day – as he did last year, too. The driver from McLaren is attempting a third consecutive win. Short Race Importance Right, just over twenty minutes to go till the short race gets under way. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as an indication of future events, rather than highly important in its own right, with only eight points awarded to the winner. However, second place here was sufficient for the driver to claim the title two years ago. Max Verstappen wins F1 world title following Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.