That said, the situation on the calendar has taken a massive turn as Motorsport.com reports that Yamaha will not travel to Doha to take part in next week’s Qatar Grand Prix amid the ongoing geopolitical situation in the Middle East. Both the factory team and its satellite partner Pramac are set to skip the 20th round of the season at the Losail International Circuit on 6-8 November. At least four riders are expected to miss the Qatar GP.
Here's the thing: Yamaha Motor Company holds a clause in its internal contracts that allows it to prevent employees from travelling to war-effect regions. The Japanese manufacturer is enforcing this travel ban after a final attempt by riders and teams to call off the Qatar GP on Sunday afternoon failed to pay off.
Meanwhile, MotoGP continues to press ahead with the Doha round after deputy CEO Carlos Ezpeleta travelled to the country on Thursday to directly speak with the authorities, who provided assurances about the safety of paddock personnel. However, the situation in the region remains unpredictable, especially with the mid-term elections scheduled in the US. Most countries around the world have been advising their nationals not to travel to Qatar.
"Following its latest assessment of the situation in the Middle East, Yamaha has not identified sufficient grounds to change its existing company-wide travel restrictions," Yamaha said in a statement. "As a result, Yamaha has informed MotoGP Group about its decision not to participate in the 2026 Qatar Grand Prix."
"This decision reflects Yamaha’s assessment of the information currently available and is independent of the measures implemented by MotoGP Group and the event organiser. Yamaha remains fully committed to MotoGP and looks forward to returning to competition at the Portuguese Grand Prix."
Yamaha’s decision to withdraw from the Qatar GP has further escalated the standoff between MotoGP and the 11 teams on the grid. In all its meetings, the MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group had reminded teams about their contractual obligations to take part in all rounds on the calendar. Reports indicate that riders could face sporting or financial sanctions if they skip the Qatar race, including a potential ban from the following races in Portugal and Valencia. MotoGP is yet to respond to Yamaha’s decision not to contest the Losail event.
MotoGP
MotoGP
