🔗 Share this article Qatar's Sprint Race and Grand Prix Qualifying: Live Updates Opening Notes Our correspondent is about to begin to guide you through today's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm). Live Feed Starting Lap Period The warm-up lap has started. Circuit Details There are 19 laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, David Croft informs us. Final Moments The last moments has begun. Driver Situation One point in Max Verstappen's favour: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. He is unlikely to challenge the team's lead driver. Media Conversations Sky speaking with Sky now: the analyst is at the Mercedes team. The analyst is jumping ahead to 2026, speaking with the engineer about his stepping up to the team team principal. Grid Details Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in the previous race, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he failed to make it out of the first qualifying segment once more on the previous day. Ferrari have consequently adjusted to his setup and so he begins from the starting area. Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position. Racer Statements "We take the experience for tomorrow," says Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be a lot of that. Team Standings It's not all about the drivers' title: The team have dominated the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, are aiming to seal second place this weekend. George Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen. Past Performance Piastri was victorious then – as he managed last year, as well. McLaren's Australian is going for a third consecutive win. Sprint Race Value Right, just over 20 minutes to go till the short race begins. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as a preview of what is to come, rather than significant in its itself, with just eight championship points awarded to the winner. However, the runner-up spot in this race was enough for Verstappen to claim the title in a prior season. The driver claimed the championship after his teammate's accident of the short race.