🔗 Share this article Qatar Sprint Race and Grand Prix Qualifying: Live Coverage Preamble Our correspondent is arriving soon to take you through this day's short race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT). Current Events Formation Lap Time The warm-up lap is underway. Track Information We have nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, the commentator informs us. Final Moments The last moments is on. 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 challenge Red Bull's lead driver. Media Conversations Sky speaking with Sky now: the analyst is with Mercedes. Karun Chandhok is looking forward to 2026, interviewing Adrian Newey about his stepping up to Aston Martin lead role. Starting Positions There are only 16 cars on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of twentieth and final in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he failed to advance of the first qualifying segment once more on the previous day. Ferrari have as a result made changes to his car configuration and so he begins from the pit lane. The team's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position. Racer Statements "We'll use the learning for the next day," states Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be plenty of learning. Team Standings The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: McLaren have run away with the team championship but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, will be hoping to seal second place during this event. George Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen. Previous Results Piastri won that day – as he managed last year, as well. The driver from McLaren is going for a hat-trick. Sprint Race Value Alright, approximately 20 minutes to go till the short race begins. Barring disaster, its main importance is as an indication of what is to come, instead of significant in its own right, with just eight championship points awarded to the victor. However, second place in this race was enough for Verstappen to claim the title in a prior season. The driver claimed the championship following Pérez crashes out of the short race.