🔗 Share this article Qatar Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Real-Time Coverage Preamble Philip will be here shortly to take you through today's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm). Current Events Starting Lap Period The warm-up lap has begun. Track Information There are 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, David Croft points out. Final Moments The last moments has begun. Racer Positions An advantage in Max Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. It's improbable to interfere with Red Bull's main man. Interview Updates Sky speaking with Sky currently: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team. The analyst is looking forward to the 2026 season, interviewing Adrian Newey about his stepping up to Aston Martin team principal. Grid Details There are only 16 cars on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in the previous race, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he failed to advance of Q1 again on Friday. 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 starting from the same position. Driver Comments "We'll use the experience for tomorrow," states Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be plenty of learning. Team Standings It's not all about the drivers' title: The team have dominated the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position this weekend. George Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Antonelli will start just behind the leader. Previous Results Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, too. The driver from McLaren is attempting a hat-trick. Short Race Importance Alright, approximately twenty minutes to go until the short race begins. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as a preview of what is to come, instead of highly important in its itself, with only eight points awarded to the winner. However, second place here was sufficient for Verstappen to claim the title in a prior season. The driver wins the championship after Pérez crashes out of the short race.