đŸ”— Share this article Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Live Updates Preamble The author is about to begin to cover this day's sprint race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT). Current Events Formation Lap Period The starting lap has started. Track Information There are nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in F1, the commentator points out. Final Moments The countdown is on. Racer Positions An advantage in Max Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. It's improbable to interfere with Red Bull's main man. Media Conversations Sky interviewing Sky now: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team. Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, speaking with Adrian Newey about his promotion to Aston Martin lead role. Starting Positions Just 16 cars on the grid. It was another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of 20th and last in the previous race, leading to an eighth-place finish in the main race, he failed to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on Friday. The team 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 Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position. Racer Statements "We take the experience for the next day," states Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be plenty of learning. Constructors' Championship The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: McLaren have dominated the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, are aiming to seal second place during this event. Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader. Previous Results Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he managed last year, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a third consecutive win. Short Race Importance Right, approximately twenty minutes remaining till the short race gets under way. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as an indication of what is to come, instead of significant in its itself, with just eight championship points available to the winner. However, the runner-up spot in this race was sufficient for the driver to claim the title in a prior season. Max Verstappen wins the championship after his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.