🔗 Share this article Qatar Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Updates Preamble Our correspondent is about to begin to take you through this day's sprint race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT). Current Events Formation Lap Time The warm-up lap has started. Circuit Details We have nineteen laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, David Croft reminds us. Countdown The last moments is on. Driver Situation An advantage in Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. He is unlikely to challenge Red Bull's lead driver. Media Conversations Sky's internal discussion now: Gary Neville is with Mercedes. Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, speaking with Adrian Newey about his promotion to the team lead role. Starting Positions There are only 16 cars on the grid. It was another poor grid-setting session for the driver: after coming twentieth and final in the previous race, leading to an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he failed to advance of the first qualifying segment once more on the previous day. The team have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he will start from the pit lane. Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position. Driver Comments "We'll use the experience for the next day," says Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect plenty of learning. Team Standings It's not all about the individual championship: McLaren have dominated the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, are aiming to secure the runner-up position this weekend. Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen. Past Performance Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, as well. McLaren's Australian is going for a third consecutive win. Sprint Race Value Right, approximately 20 minutes remaining until the short race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance is as a preview of future events, rather than highly important in its itself, with only eight points awarded to the victor. Mind you, second place here was sufficient for Verstappen to claim the title two years ago. Max Verstappen wins the championship after his teammate's accident of the short race.