🔗 Share this article Qatar's Sprint Race and Grand Prix Qualifying: Live Coverage Preamble The author is about to begin to take you through today's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (6pm). Current Events Starting Lap Period The starting lap is underway. Circuit Details We have 19 laps around the lengthiest track in F1, the commentator reminds us. Countdown The countdown has begun. Driver Situation An advantage in Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to challenge Red Bull's lead driver. Media Conversations Sky speaking with Sky now: the analyst is at the Mercedes team. Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to 2026, speaking with Adrian Newey about his promotion to the team lead role. Starting Positions Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for the driver: following his result of 20th and last in the previous race, resulting in an eighth position in the grand prix, he did not manage to make it out of Q1 once more on Friday. Ferrari have as a result made changes to his car configuration and so he begins from the starting area. Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position. Racer Statements "We take the learning for tomorrow," states Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be a lot of that. Constructors' Championship It's not all about 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 this weekend. Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen. Previous Results Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he did last year, too. The driver from McLaren is attempting a hat-trick. Short Race Importance Right, just over 20 minutes remaining until the sprint race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as a preview of future events, rather than significant in its itself, with just eight championship points awarded to the winner. Mind you, the runner-up spot in this race was sufficient for the driver to become champion two years ago. The driver wins F1 world title after his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.