🔗 Share this article Qatar's Sprint Race and Grand Prix Qualifying: Live Updates Preamble Our correspondent is arriving soon to cover today's sprint race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT). Live Feed Warm-Up Lap Period The starting lap has started. Track Information There are 19 laps around the lengthiest track in Formula 1, the commentator informs us. Countdown The last moments has begun. Racer Positions An advantage in Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. It's improbable to interfere with the team's main man. Interview Updates Sky speaking with Sky now: the analyst is with Mercedes. Karun Chandhok is looking forward to 2026, interviewing Adrian Newey about his stepping up to the team lead role. Grid Details There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth-place finish in the main race, he failed to make it out of Q1 once more on the previous day. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his setup and so he begins from the starting area. The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position. Driver Comments "We take the learning for the next day," states Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be a lot of that. Constructors' Championship It's not all about the individual championship: The team have dominated the constructors' gong but the team, with a 40-point lead over their rivals, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position during this event. George Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind the leader. Past Performance Oscar Piastri won that day – as he did last year, too. The driver from McLaren is going for a hat-trick. Short Race Importance Right, approximately 20 minutes to go until the sprint race begins. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as an indication of future events, instead of significant in its itself, with just eight championship points awarded to the winner. However, second place here was sufficient for Verstappen to become champion two years ago. Max Verstappen wins the championship after Pérez crashes out of the short race.