🔗 Share this article Qatar Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Real-Time Updates Introduction Our correspondent will be here shortly to guide you through this day's short race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT). Live Feed Warm-Up Lap Period The formation lap is underway. Circuit Details There are 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, David Croft points out. Final Moments The final countdown is on. Driver Situation An advantage in Verstappen's favour: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to challenge the team's main man. Interview Updates Sky speaking with Sky now: Gary Neville is with Mercedes. The analyst is looking forward to the 2026 season, interviewing the engineer about his promotion to Aston Martin lead role. Starting Positions Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for the driver: after coming 20th and last in the previous race, leading to an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he failed to make it out of Q1 once more on Friday. The team have as a result made changes to his car configuration and so he will start from the starting area. Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position. Driver Comments "We'll use the learning for the next day," says Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be a lot of that. Constructors' Championship The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: The team have run away with the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, are aiming to secure the runner-up position during this event. George Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Antonelli will start just behind the leader. Previous Results Piastri was victorious then – as he managed last year, too. The driver from McLaren is attempting a hat-trick. Short Race Importance Alright, just over twenty minutes remaining till the short race begins. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as a preview of future events, rather than significant in its itself, with only eight points awarded to the victor. Mind you, the runner-up spot here was sufficient for the driver to become champion in a prior season. The driver wins F1 world title after his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.