🔗 Share this article Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Coverage Preamble Our correspondent will be here shortly to take you through this day's short race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT). Real-Time Updates Formation Lap Period The starting lap has started. Circuit Details There are 19 laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, the commentator reminds us. Final Moments The final countdown is on. Driver Situation An advantage in Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. He is unlikely to mess with the team's main man. Interview Updates Sky's internal discussion now: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team. Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing Adrian Newey about his stepping up to Aston Martin team principal. Starting Positions Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming 20th and last in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he failed to advance of the first qualifying segment once more on the previous day. The team have consequently made changes to his setup and so he will start from the pit lane. Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position. Racer Statements "We take the learning for tomorrow," says Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect a lot of that. Constructors' Championship The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: The team have run away with the team championship but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, are aiming to seal second place this weekend. George Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader. Past Performance Piastri was victorious then – as he managed last year, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a third consecutive win. Sprint Race Value Right, approximately 20 minutes remaining until the sprint race begins. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as an indication of what is to come, instead of significant in its own right, with only eight points available to the winner. Mind you, second place in this race was enough for the driver to claim the title in a prior season. Max Verstappen claimed F1 world title after his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.