🔗 Share this article Qatar Short Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Real-Time Coverage Opening Notes The author is arriving soon to take you through today's sprint race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (6pm). Current Events Warm-Up Lap Time The warm-up lap is underway. Track Information We have nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, David Croft reminds us. Final Moments The last moments is on. Driver Situation An advantage in Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. He is unlikely to mess with the team's main man. Media Conversations Sky's internal discussion currently: the analyst is with Mercedes. Karun Chandhok is looking forward to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his promotion to Aston Martin lead role. Starting Positions There are only 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he did not manage to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on the previous day. Ferrari have consequently adjusted to his setup and so he begins from the starting area. The team's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise. Racer Statements "We'll use the learning for the next day," says Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be plenty of learning. Team Standings It's not all about the drivers' title: McLaren have run away with the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, will be hoping to seal second place this weekend. George Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind the leader. Previous Results Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he did last year, as well. The driver from McLaren is going for a hat-trick. Sprint Race Value Right, just over twenty minutes to go till the short race begins. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as a preview of future events, instead of significant in its itself, with only eight points awarded to the victor. However, the runner-up spot in this race was sufficient for the driver to become champion in a prior season. The driver wins F1 world title following Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.