🔗 Share this article Qatar Sprint Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Real-Time Updates Preamble The author is arriving soon to take you through this day's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (6pm). Live Feed Formation Lap Period The warm-up lap is underway. Circuit Details We have nineteen laps of the longest circuit in Formula 1, the commentator points out. Countdown The last moments is underway. Driver Situation An advantage in Verstappen's favour: his teammate Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. It's improbable to challenge the team's main man. Media Conversations Sky speaking with Sky now: Gary Neville is with Mercedes. Karun Chandhok is looking forward to the 2026 season, speaking with Adrian Newey about his promotion to the team team principal. Starting Positions Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another poor grid-setting session for the driver: following his result of twentieth and final in the previous race, leading to an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he did not manage to advance of Q1 again on the previous day. The team have consequently made changes to his setup and so he will start from the pit lane. The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise. Driver Comments "We take the learning for the next day," says Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be a lot of that. Team Standings The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: McLaren have run away with the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, will be hoping to seal second place during this event. George Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen. Past Performance Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he managed the previous season, as well. The driver from McLaren is attempting a hat-trick. Short Race Importance Alright, just over twenty minutes to go until the short race begins. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as a preview of future events, rather than significant in its own right, with only eight points awarded to the winner. However, second place in this race was enough for Verstappen to claim the title in a prior season. The driver wins F1 world title following Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.