🔗 Share this article Qatar Sprint Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Live Coverage Opening Notes Our correspondent is arriving soon to cover today's sprint race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT). Live Feed Warm-Up Lap Time The warm-up lap has started. Track Information There are 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, David Croft reminds us. Countdown The countdown is on. Driver Situation An advantage in Max Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. He is unlikely to interfere with Red Bull's lead driver. Media Conversations Sky interviewing Sky now: Gary Neville is with Mercedes. Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to the team lead role. Starting Positions There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another poor grid-setting session for the driver: following his result of twentieth and final in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth-place finish in the main race, he did not manage to advance of Q1 once more on the previous day. Ferrari have as a result made changes to his setup 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. Driver Comments "We take the experience for tomorrow," states Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect a lot of that. Constructors' Championship The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: McLaren have run away with the team championship but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, are aiming to seal second place during this event. George Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen. Previous Results Oscar Piastri won that day – as he managed last year, as well. McLaren's Australian is attempting a third consecutive win. Sprint Race Value Alright, just over 20 minutes to go till the sprint race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as a preview of future events, rather than significant in its itself, with only eight points available to the victor. Mind you, the runner-up spot in this race was enough for Verstappen to claim the title two years ago. The driver claimed F1 world title after Pérez crashes out of the short race.