🔗 Share this article Qatar Short Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Live Coverage Preamble The author will be here shortly to cover this day's short race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT). Current Events Starting Lap Time The starting lap is underway. Track Information We have 19 laps around the lengthiest track in F1, David Croft points out. Final Moments The last moments is on. Driver Situation One point in Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to interfere with the team's main man. Media Conversations Sky speaking with Sky currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team. Karun Chandhok is looking forward to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to the team lead role. Starting Positions Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of 20th and last in the previous race, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he failed to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on the previous day. The team have as a result adjusted to his setup and so he will start from the pit lane. The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise. Racer Statements "We'll use the experience for tomorrow," states Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect a lot of that. Team Standings It's not all about the individual championship: McLaren have dominated the team championship but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position this weekend. George Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader. Previous Results Oscar Piastri won that day – as he managed last year, too. McLaren's Australian is attempting a third consecutive win. Short Race Importance Alright, just over 20 minutes remaining until the short race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as an indication of future events, rather than highly important in its own right, with only eight points awarded to the winner. However, the runner-up spot here was sufficient for Verstappen to claim the title two years ago. Max Verstappen wins the championship after Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.