🔗 Share this article Qatar's Short Race and Grand Prix Qualifying: Real-Time Updates Opening Notes Philip is about to begin to take you through this day's short race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT). Current Events Warm-Up Lap Time The warm-up lap has started. Track Information We have 19 laps of the longest circuit in F1, the commentator points out. Final Moments The final countdown is underway. Driver Situation One point in Max Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. He is unlikely to challenge Red Bull's main man. Interview Updates Sky speaking with Sky now: the analyst is at the Mercedes team. The analyst is jumping ahead to 2026, speaking with Adrian Newey about his stepping up to the team team principal. Starting Positions There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of twentieth and final in the previous race, resulting in an eighth position in the grand prix, he failed to make it out of Q1 once more on the previous day. The team have as a result adjusted to his car configuration and so he will start 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 learning for tomorrow," states Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect a lot of that. Team Standings It's not all about the drivers' title: The team have run away with the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, are aiming to seal second place during this event. Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen. Previous Results Piastri was victorious then – as he managed the previous season, too. McLaren's Australian is attempting a hat-trick. Short Race Importance Right, approximately twenty minutes remaining until the short race begins. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as a preview of what is to come, instead of significant in its own right, with just eight championship points awarded to the winner. Mind you, second place in this race was enough for Verstappen to become champion two years ago. Max Verstappen wins the championship after his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.