🔗 Share this article Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Real-Time Coverage Opening Notes Philip is arriving soon to guide you through this day's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT). Real-Time Updates Starting Lap Period The warm-up lap has started. Track Information There are 19 laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, the commentator informs us. Countdown The last moments is on. Racer Positions One point in Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. He is unlikely to mess with Red Bull's lead driver. Interview Updates Sky's internal discussion currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team. Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to the team lead role. Starting Positions Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming 20th and last in the previous race, leading to an eighth position in the main race, he failed to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on Friday. Ferrari have consequently adjusted to his car configuration and so he will start from the pit lane. The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position. 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 drivers' title: McLaren have dominated the team championship but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, will be hoping to seal second place this weekend. 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 managed last year, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick. Short Race Importance Alright, approximately 20 minutes remaining till the short race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance is as a preview of future events, rather than significant in its own right, with just eight championship points awarded to the victor. However, the runner-up spot in this race was sufficient for Verstappen to claim the title two years ago. Max Verstappen wins F1 world title following his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.