🔗 Share this article Qatar Short Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Coverage Preamble The author is about to begin to take you through today's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm). Real-Time Updates Starting Lap Time The formation lap is underway. Track Information We have nineteen laps of the longest circuit in Formula 1, David Croft points out. Final Moments The last moments is on. Racer Positions An advantage in Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. He is unlikely to challenge Red Bull's lead driver. Media Conversations Sky's internal discussion now: Gary Neville is with Mercedes. The analyst is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his promotion to Aston Martin team principal. Starting Positions There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of 20th and last in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the main race, he did not manage to advance of Q1 once more on Friday. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his setup and so he will start from the pit lane. The team's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise. Driver Comments "We take the experience for tomorrow," states Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect plenty of learning. Constructors' Championship The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: The team have dominated the team championship but the team, with a 40-point lead over their rivals, will be hoping to seal second place this weekend. Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen. Previous Results Piastri was victorious then – as he managed the previous season, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a third consecutive win. Short Race Importance Right, just over 20 minutes to go until the short race gets under way. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as a preview of what is to come, instead of highly important in its own right, with just eight championship points awarded to the victor. Mind you, the runner-up spot in this race was sufficient for the driver to claim the title in a prior season. Max Verstappen claimed the championship following Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.