🔗 Share this article Qatar Short Race and Grand Prix Qualifying: Real-Time Coverage Opening Notes Philip is arriving soon to guide you through this day's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT). Real-Time Updates Starting Lap Time The formation lap has begun. Track Information We have nineteen laps of the longest circuit in F1, the commentator reminds us. Final Moments The countdown is underway. Racer Positions One point in Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. He is unlikely to mess with the team's main man. Interview Updates Sky interviewing Sky currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team. The analyst is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to Aston Martin lead role. Grid Details Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of 20th and last in the previous race, resulting in an eighth position in the grand prix, he failed to make it out of Q1 once more on Friday. The team have as a result adjusted to his car configuration and so he will start from the starting area. Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position. Driver Comments "We take the learning for the next day," states Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect a lot of that. Team Standings The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: The team have dominated the team championship but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over their rivals, are aiming to secure the runner-up position during this event. George Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind the leader. Previous Results Piastri won that day – as he managed last year, as well. The driver from McLaren is going for a third consecutive win. Sprint Race Value Right, just over 20 minutes remaining till the sprint race begins. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as a preview of future events, rather than highly important in its itself, with only eight points awarded to the winner. However, second place in this race was sufficient for the driver to claim the title two years ago. The driver wins the championship following his teammate's accident of the short race.