🔗 Share this article Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Real-Time Coverage Preamble The author is about to begin to cover this day's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm). Real-Time Updates Starting Lap Time The formation lap has begun. Circuit Details We have 19 laps around the lengthiest track in Formula 1, David Croft reminds us. Final Moments The last moments has begun. Driver Situation An advantage in Verstappen's favour: his teammate Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. He is unlikely to mess with the team's lead driver. Media Conversations Sky's internal discussion now: the analyst is at the Mercedes team. The analyst is looking forward to 2026, speaking with Adrian Newey about his stepping up to Aston Martin lead role. Grid Details Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming 20th and last in the previous race, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the main race, he failed to make it out of Q1 once more on Friday. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he will start from the starting area. Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise. Driver Comments "We'll use the experience for the next day," says Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect plenty of learning. Constructors' Championship The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: The team have run away with the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, are aiming to secure the runner-up position this weekend. George Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen. Past Performance Oscar Piastri won that day – as he did last year, too. The driver from McLaren 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, instead of significant in its itself, with only eight points available to the winner. However, the runner-up spot here was enough for Verstappen to become champion two years ago. The driver wins F1 world title following Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.