MotoGP sticks with Qatar: three quarters of the riders would rather skip it

• Date: 6 to 8 November at the Lusail International Circuit near Doha
• Around three quarters of the riders are said to have reservations about the trip
• Up to 37 championship points are at stake in Qatar

The decision has been made, at least for now. The team association IRTA has informed all MotoGP teams by email that the Qatar Grand Prix will go ahead as planned. The race was originally scheduled for April and had to be moved to November because of the war in the region. Ever since, the question has repeatedly come up whether the world championship can travel to Doha at all. Preparations are now continuing, even though a large share of the riders are sceptical and several European countries are reportedly advising against travel to Qatar.

Will the 2026 MotoGP Qatar GP take place?

Yes, as things stand, the Qatar Grand Prix is set to take place from 6 to 8 November at the Lusail International Circuit. IRTA has informed the teams of this in writing.

IRTA, short for International Road Racing Teams Association, represents the teams in the motorcycle world championship. Just over two weeks remain until the paddock is set up at the circuit on the outskirts of the capital Doha. Qatar is the final round of a triple-header. First up is the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island from 23 to 25 October. Malaysia follows at Sepang from 30 October to 1 November, and one week later the series heads to Lusail.

The letter does not make the date final, however. Should the security situation deteriorate, the race can still be cancelled or postponed.

Why was the Qatar GP moved to November?

The Grand Prix in Lusail was originally planned for 12 April and was moved to 8 November because of the war in the Middle East. After war broke out in Iran at the end of February, Qatar was also drawn into the conflict between the USA, Israel and Iran.

To fit the new date into the calendar, the season-closing races in Portugal and Valencia were each pushed back by one week. Since the postponement, the series has stuck to the date. Qatar is a special event for MotoGP. Lusail hosted the premier class’s first night race, and the weekend is one of the most distinctive stops on the 2026 MotoGP calendar.

Why is MotoGP sticking with Qatar despite the Middle East conflict?

The championship’s commercial rights holder considers the security assurances from Qatar to be sufficient. This refers to MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group, MGPSEG for short, which relies on assurances from the Qatari authorities and the local promoter.

According to IRTA, the local promoter has drawn up its own emergency plan. On top of that come the assessments of the security advisers the championship works with. The series is also in contact with the relevant embassies. None of them is said to have advised any change to the current approach.

Over the past few weeks there have been numerous talks between the teams and the championship’s management. CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta and his son Carlos, the deputy CEO, pointed to a message from the Qatari government. According to it, Hamad International Airport in Doha is operating normally and at full capacity.

Carlos Ezpeleta had already explained at the race weekend in Indonesia that MotoGP is planning the trip to Qatar but continues to monitor the situation closely. For him, “the safety and well-being of all staff and fans is the number one priority”. Asked when a final decision would be made, he recalled Valencia 2024. After the floods, MotoGP had to organise a replacement event in Barcelona within ten days. He says unforeseen events can always happen and that teams and organisers must work together on safety and contingency plans.

How safe is the situation in Qatar at the moment?

No missile or drone attacks on Qatari territory have been reported since April. The region is far from calm, though.

In early October, a parked aircraft at Riyadh airport in Saudi Arabia was reportedly damaged in a missile attack. The Iran-allied Houthis from Yemen are said to be behind the attack. This was followed by major disruption to air traffic in the Middle East. Qatar Airways temporarily suspended flights to Riyadh and Dammam on 12 October. The airport in Doha itself remains open.

On 18 October, the US embassy in Qatar urged all Americans in the region to exercise increased vigilance. It warned of possible flight cancellations, airspace closures and travel disruption. The British travel advice for Qatar, last updated in mid-August, describes the situation in the Middle East as unpredictable and warns of further attacks and unforeseen escalation. Most European countries are reportedly advising their citizens to postpone trips to Qatar, even though the situation is no longer as tense as at the start of the conflict.

What do the MotoGP riders think about racing in Qatar?

The majority of riders would rather not race in Qatar. According to information from the paddock, around three quarters would prefer to avoid the trip, while the remaining quarter has no concerns. There has been no official vote on the matter, however.

How divided the field is already became clear before the Indonesian Grand Prix. Several riders pointed to Formula 1, which has not cancelled its races in the region so far. Francesco Bagnaia deliberately held back: “I don’t want to express opinions that could get me into trouble”. The Ducati rider says that if safety really is the priority, every aspect has to be examined carefully. If the conditions are not right, it would be better to wait with the decision. At the same time, he describes Qatar as a special weekend with a night race, a good track and a great atmosphere.

Fabio Quartararo, who is switching from Yamaha to Honda at the end of the season, is more relaxed about it: “I’m not worried about going to Qatar”. For him it is a race like any other that was on the calendar anyway. If Formula 1 races there, MotoGP should too, in his view.

At the time, Alex Marquez did not know for sure whether the race would happen at all. The Gresini rider already has his ticket, though, and has long planned to travel straight on to Qatar after Malaysia and stay there from Monday to Sunday. Pedro Acosta makes it clear that, as he sees it, the riders have no choice. They are paid to race, and if the team buys the plane tickets, the KTM rider will fly to Qatar.

The next key moment comes on Thursday, when the riders will be asked about the topic at Phillip Island. It is also the circuit’s last MotoGP weekend before the Australian GP moves to Adelaide.

Yamaha and Honda drop their opposition

It was not only the riders who had concerns. Yamaha and Honda initially refused outright to send staff into a conflict zone. The two Japanese manufacturers have since changed their stance, following talks with the rights holder and additional security measures.

Resistance was particularly strong at Yamaha. Almost two months ago, the brand reportedly instructed its logistics department to find flight routes for all staff that avoid the affected region. The issue is not completely off the table, though. Many companies in the championship have internal rules prohibiting travel to areas considered unstable. How they will handle this remains open. After all, it is not just the riders who are affected, but also the engineers, mechanics and logistics staff without whom no race weekend can function.

What does the Qatar GP mean for the MotoGP title fight?

Up to 37 points are at stake in Qatar for the championship battle: 12 points for winning Saturday’s sprint and 25 for winning Sunday’s Grand Prix.

Jorge Martin on the Aprilia and Marc Marquez on the Ducati are currently separated by just two points. Marco Bezzecchi is also still mathematically in the title race. Qatar is the third of the five remaining races. If it were cancelled without replacement, all title contenders would have one less opportunity to score points. For Bezzecchi, with the larger deficit, every round struck off would make the chase harder.

Who would benefit from a cancellation is impossible to say. That would depend on the standings at the time of the decision and on the remaining races. Marquez has already won at Lusail, most recently at the 2025 Qatar Grand Prix. Martin has also been competitive at the track.

How is Formula 1 handling the race in Qatar?

Formula 1 also plans to stick with its races in the region. It races at Lusail from 27 to 29 November, and the season finale in Abu Dhabi is scheduled for 4 to 6 December.

The governing body FIA expects both races to take place. FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem was confident. The decisions of the two series are not automatically linked, however. MotoGP is in Qatar around three weeks before Formula 1 and therefore has to reach clarity sooner.

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➜ This article is part of our comprehensive overview: 2026 MotoGP Season: The Complete Overview – Teams, Riders, Calendar & Championship Standings. Find all key information on this topic in one place.