🔗 Share this article Qatar Sprint Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Live Coverage Preamble Our correspondent will be here shortly to take you through this day's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT). Real-Time Updates Warm-Up Lap Time The formation lap has begun. Circuit Details We have nineteen laps of the longest circuit in Formula 1, the commentator reminds us. Countdown The countdown has begun. Racer Positions One point in Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. It's improbable to challenge Red Bull's main man. Interview Updates Sky speaking with Sky now: Gary Neville is with Mercedes. The analyst is looking forward to the 2026 season, speaking with Adrian Newey about his stepping up to the team team principal. Starting Positions Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for the driver: following his result of 20th and last in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth position in the main race, he failed to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on Friday. The team have as a result made changes to his setup and so he begins from the pit lane. Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise. Racer Statements "We'll use the experience for the next day," says Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be plenty of learning. Constructors' Championship The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: McLaren have dominated the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, will be hoping to seal second place this weekend. George Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader. Previous Results Oscar Piastri won that day – as he managed last year, as well. The driver from McLaren is going for a third consecutive win. Sprint Race Value Alright, approximately twenty minutes to go till the sprint race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance is as an indication of what is to come, rather than highly important in its itself, with only eight points awarded to the victor. Mind you, the runner-up spot in this race was enough for the driver to become champion in a prior season. The driver claimed F1 world title after Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.