🔗 Share this article Qatar's Sprint Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Live Updates Introduction Our correspondent is about to begin to take you through today's short race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT). Live Feed Warm-Up Lap Time The starting lap has begun. Track Information There are 19 laps of the longest circuit in F1, the commentator reminds us. Final Moments The countdown has begun. Driver Situation An advantage in Max Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. He is unlikely to interfere with the team's lead driver. Interview Updates Sky's internal discussion now: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team. The analyst is looking forward to 2026, interviewing Adrian Newey about his stepping up to the team team principal. Starting Positions Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in the previous race, leading to an eighth-place finish in the main race, he did not manage to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on Friday. Ferrari have as a result made changes to his car configuration and so he will start from the starting area. Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise. Driver Comments "We take the learning for tomorrow," states Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be plenty of learning. Team Standings It's not all about the drivers' title: The team have run away with the constructors' gong but the team, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, will be hoping to seal second place during this event. Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader. Past Performance Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he managed the previous season, as well. The driver from McLaren is going for a third consecutive win. Sprint Race Value Right, approximately 20 minutes remaining till the sprint race begins. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as an indication of future events, rather than significant in its itself, with only eight points available to the winner. However, the runner-up spot here was sufficient for the driver to become champion two years ago. The driver claimed F1 world title after Pérez crashes out of the short race.