🔗 Share this article Qatar Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Real-Time Coverage Preamble Our correspondent is about to begin to guide you through this day's short race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT). Current Events Starting Lap Period The formation lap has begun. Circuit Details There are nineteen laps of the longest circuit in F1, David Croft points out. Final Moments The countdown is underway. Driver Situation One point in Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. He is unlikely to interfere with Red Bull's lead driver. Interview Updates Sky speaking with Sky currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team. The analyst is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, speaking with the engineer about his stepping up to the team lead role. Grid Details Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for the driver: after coming twentieth and final in the previous race, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he failed to advance of the first qualifying segment again on Friday. The team have consequently adjusted to his setup and so he begins from the starting area. Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise. Racer Statements "We'll use the experience for the next day," says Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be a lot of that. Constructors' Championship The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: The team have dominated the team championship but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over their rivals, are aiming to seal second place during this event. George Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen. Previous Results Piastri was victorious then – as he managed last year, too. McLaren's Australian is attempting a third consecutive win. Sprint Race Value Right, approximately twenty minutes remaining till the sprint race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance is as an indication of future events, rather than significant in its own right, with just eight championship points available to the victor. Mind you, the runner-up spot here was sufficient for the driver to become champion in a prior season. Max Verstappen wins F1 world title after Pérez crashes out of the short race.