As Motorsport.com reports, Jack Miller has broken the silence of the MotoGP grid to lay bare the sheer frustration felt over the upcoming Qatar Grand Prix. The Pramac Racing rider made it entirely clear that the paddock wants no part of the trip, pointing out a stark united front against the Losail event scheduled for 6-8 November.
Fears are running high over the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, compounded by the mid-term US elections on Tuesday. While the championship has sought safety guarantees for paddock personnel and pushed ahead unfazed, the riders are not convinced. Miller did not hold back about the mood on the grid, stating bluntly that 19 out of 22 riders refuse to travel.
"I don't want to go. Like everybody. There's 19 of us that don't want to go there," Miller said. The rider pointed out that the concern is not necessarily the venue itself, but the volatile surrounding areas and neighbours dealing with heavy uncertainty.
Insurances and evacuation plans have been demanded by the riders, alongside a simple question of accountability. Miller stressed that somebody needs to step up and take formal liability if things go south, challenging decision-makers to put their name on the line and declare the trip safe.
Unfortunately, the grid's ammunition is being met with heavy pushback. According to Motorsport.com, MotoGP has threatened both financial and sporting sanctions against anyone skipping the Doha round, potentially blocking them from the final two rounds of the championship.
That puts the riders and their squads in a brutal bind. Miller admitted he worries about hurting his friend and team principal Paolo Campinoti, yet feels deeply uneasy about pushing forward. Ultimately, the rider feels reduced to a mere number in a machine, waiting to see how the standoff concludes.
MotoGP
MotoGP
