🔗 Share this article Qatar's Short Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Coverage Introduction The author is arriving soon to take you through today's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (6pm). Current Events Starting Lap Time The warm-up lap has started. Circuit Details We have nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in F1, David Croft reminds us. Final Moments The countdown is underway. Racer Positions One point in Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. It's improbable to mess with Red Bull's main man. Interview Updates Sky's internal discussion currently: the analyst is with Mercedes. The analyst is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing Adrian Newey about his stepping up to Aston Martin lead role. Grid Details There are only 16 cars on the grid. It was another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: after coming 20th and last in the previous race, leading to an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he did not manage to make it out of Q1 once more on the previous day. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his setup and so he will start from the starting area. Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise. Racer Statements "We take the learning for the next day," states Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be a lot of that. Team Standings The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: McLaren have dominated the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, are aiming to secure the runner-up position during this event. Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen. Past Performance Piastri was victorious then – as he did last year, as well. The driver from McLaren is going for a third consecutive win. Sprint Race Value Alright, just over 20 minutes to go till the sprint race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance 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 two years ago. Max Verstappen wins the championship following Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.