🔗 Share this article Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Coverage Introduction Our correspondent will be here shortly to cover today's short race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (6pm). Current Events Starting Lap Time The starting lap has started. Track Information There are nineteen laps of the longest circuit in Formula 1, the commentator informs us. Final Moments The countdown is underway. Racer Positions One point in Max Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. It's improbable to challenge Red Bull's lead driver. Media Conversations Sky's internal discussion currently: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team. The analyst is looking forward to the 2026 season, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to Aston Martin lead role. Grid Details Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for the driver: after coming 20th and last in the previous race, leading to an eighth-place finish in the main race, he did not manage to advance of Q1 again on Friday. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his setup and so he will start from the starting area. The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise. Driver Comments "We'll use the learning for the next day," says Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect plenty of learning. Constructors' Championship The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: McLaren have dominated the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position during this event. George Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen. Previous Results Oscar Piastri won that day – as he did last year, as well. The driver from McLaren is attempting a hat-trick. Short Race Importance Right, just over twenty minutes to go till the short race begins. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as a preview of what is to come, instead of highly important in its own right, with only eight points available to the victor. Mind you, 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 Qatar GP sprint race.