🔗 Share this article Qatar Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Real-Time Coverage Preamble The author will be here shortly to take you through this day's sprint race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT). Live Feed Starting Lap Period The warm-up lap is underway. Track Information There are 19 laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, David Croft informs us. Final Moments The final countdown is underway. Racer Positions An advantage in Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to interfere with the team's lead driver. Media Conversations Sky's internal discussion currently: Gary Neville is with Mercedes. Karun Chandhok is looking forward to 2026, interviewing Adrian Newey about his stepping up to Aston Martin team principal. Starting Positions Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of 20th and last in the previous race, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he failed to make it out of the first qualifying segment once more on Friday. Ferrari have as a result adjusted to his setup and so he begins from the starting area. Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise. Driver Comments "We'll use the experience for the next day," states Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect plenty of learning. Team Standings It's not all about the drivers' title: McLaren have dominated the constructors' gong but the team, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, will be hoping to seal second place this weekend. George Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader. Past Performance Piastri was victorious then – as he managed the previous season, too. McLaren's Australian is attempting a hat-trick. Sprint Race Value Alright, just over twenty minutes remaining until the short race gets under way. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as an indication of what is to come, instead of highly important in its own right, with just eight championship points awarded to the victor. Mind you, second place here was sufficient for the driver to become champion in a prior season. The driver claimed F1 world title after his teammate's accident of the short race.