🔗 Share this article Qatar Sprint Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Live Updates Introduction The author will be here shortly to guide you through this day's short race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT). Current Events Formation Lap Period The formation lap has started. Track Information We have nineteen laps of the longest circuit in Formula 1, the commentator reminds us. Final Moments The final countdown is underway. Driver Situation One point in Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. It's improbable to challenge Red Bull's lead driver. Interview Updates Sky interviewing Sky currently: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team. The analyst is jumping ahead to 2026, speaking with Adrian Newey about his stepping up to Aston Martin lead role. Grid Details There are only 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for the driver: following his result of twentieth and final in the previous race, leading to an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he did not manage to advance of the first qualifying segment 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. Racer Statements "We take the experience for tomorrow," states Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be a lot of that. Team Standings It's not all about the drivers' title: The team have dominated the constructors' gong but the team, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, are aiming to seal second place this weekend. Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Antonelli will start just behind the leader. Previous Results Piastri won that day – as he managed the previous season, as well. The driver from McLaren is going for a hat-trick. Short Race Importance Right, approximately twenty minutes to go until the sprint race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance is as a preview of future events, instead of highly important in its itself, with only eight points awarded to the victor. Mind you, second place in this race was enough for Verstappen to claim the title in a prior season. Max Verstappen wins F1 world title after his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.