The key facts

  • Yamaha will not attend the Qatar MotoGP round, citing the situation in the Middle East
  • Yamaha-Pramac rider Jack Miller said that 19 of the 22 riders did not want to go
  • MotoGP Group expressed disappointment and said the remaining teams would confirm their participation

Yamaha's withdrawal and the organizers' reaction

The Japanese team Yamaha announced on Sunday, immediately after the MotoGP round in Malaysia,that it will not take part in next weekend's event in Qatar. The company's statement said it had «not found sufficient grounds to change its current corporate travel restrictions». The decision comes against the backdrop of the war in the Middle East, which began on 28 February with joint American-Israeli strikes on Iran, which, according to AFP, responded with strikes including against US-allied Gulf states. Yamaha is represented in the championship by the 2021 world champion, Frenchman Fabio Quartararo, and Spaniard Alex Rins.

The position of riders and organizers

Australian Jack Miller of the satellite team Yamaha-Pramac spoke out openly against the trip even before the company's official statement: «I have no desire to go. Neither does anyone else. 19 of the 22 riders don't want to go there. I don't think we should race in such conditions». MotoGP Group responded with a statement of «disappointment» and noted that Yamaha's non-participation «also carries sporting consequences». According to the organizers, consultations with the Qatari hosts and security advisers revealed no reasons to change plans, and the remaining teams confirmed their participation. AFP, citing media reports, writes that disputes over the trip were raging in the Sepang paddock, and that teams that pulled out faced sanctions.

Season and regional context

Three rounds remain in the season, the first of them in Qatar. The reigning seven-time champion Marc Marquez (Ducati) won the race in Sepang and could clinch the title early in Doha. The regional conflict has already reshaped the sporting calendar: the Formula 1 Grands Prix in Jeddah and Bahrain have been cancelled (the latter later moved to Malaysia), the WTA Finals have been relocated from Riyadh to Indian Wells, an exhibition tennis tournament and the Dakar Rally have been postponed (Portugal and Morocco will host it from 2027), and the final WRC round in Saudi Arabia has been cancelled. Meanwhile, the super middleweight title fight between Saul «Canelo» Alvarez and Christian Mbilli did take place in Riyadh. The last two Formula 1 races of the season — in Qatar (29 November) and Abu Dhabi (6 December) — remain on the calendar but, according to AFP, are the subject of intense internal discussions.