🔗 Share this article Qatar Sprint Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Real-Time Coverage Opening Notes The author is about to begin to take you through today's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (6pm). Real-Time Updates Starting Lap Time The warm-up lap has begun. Circuit Details We have nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, David Croft points out. Final Moments The countdown has begun. Driver Situation One point in Max Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. He is unlikely to challenge the team's main man. Interview Updates Sky's internal discussion now: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team. The analyst is looking forward to the 2026 season, interviewing Adrian Newey about his stepping up to Aston Martin lead role. Grid Details Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of 20th and last in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth-place finish in the main race, he did not manage to make it out of Q1 once more on Friday. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his setup and so he will start from the starting area. Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position. Driver Comments "We take the experience for the next day," says Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect plenty of learning. Team Standings The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: The team have dominated the team championship but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position during this event. George Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader. Past Performance Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he did last year, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a third consecutive win. Sprint Race Value Alright, just over twenty minutes to go until the short race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as a preview of what is to come, instead of highly important in its itself, with just eight championship points available to the winner. Mind you, the runner-up spot in this race was sufficient for Verstappen to claim the title in a prior season. The driver wins the championship following his teammate's accident of the short race.