Where F1 stands on racing in the Middle East after Yamaha’s MotoGP boycott

Formula 1 still intends to conclude the 2026 season with races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi as planned despite an ongoing standoff in MotoGP. 

Yamaha’s bombshell decision to withdraw from next weekend’s MotoGP race in Qatar on Sunday has caused a major power struggle between the riders, manufacturers and the championship. 

MotoGP insists it is going ahead with the race and said it was “disappointed” by Yamaha’s decision to boycott the event, warning the Japanese manufacturer of “sporting implications”. 

It has been reported that 19 of MotoGP’s 22 riders have signed a letter raising concerns about competing in Qatar amid the ongoing US-Israeli war with Iran. 

With MotoGP organised by Liberty Media, which also owns F1, questions have naturally been raised over whether the scheduled Qatar Grand Prix on 27-29 November, and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on 4-6 December, can go ahead. 

According to a report by Autosport, a letter was sent to all teams during the Mexico Grand Prix weekend in which F1 reiterated that it plans to end the season with the Middle Eastern double-header. 

F1 teams were given notice in advance about Yamaha’s decision to pull out of next weekend’s race and the letter noted that the remaining manufacturers and MotoGP will still travel to Qatar. 

Travel and insurance advice is currently unchanged and F1 has been informed that there have been no attacks on civilian infrastructure in Qatar or the United Arab Emirates since May. 

Crash.net understands that only a full escalation back to what was seen at the start of the year in the Middle East could led to F1 changing its current plans. 

Wider politics could change picture 

However, the results of Tuesday’s US midterms, and the political situation in Israel following recent elections, could yet have significant ramifications on the Middle East, and therefore impact both MotoGP and F1’s plans. 

The stance from F1 teams and the drivers seems to be that they trust in the championship and its governing body the FIA to ultimately make the right call. 

There has been a notable caution from drivers speaking out on the situation, with Carlos Sainz quickly U-turning on comments he made in the FIA press conference ahead of the United States Grand Prix. 

“It is typically the FIA and F1's task to approach it in the most complete way, with a full set of information, and to give us the direction on that. This is why, us not doing the same effort as them in terms of assessing the situations, we fully rely on them to make the right call,” Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies said on Friday in Mexico City. 

“I have to say that history has shown that they have made most of these calls very right in the past. In terms of deadlines, I think all the teams are on the same boat and have... So logistics are very much channelled through F1 and the FIA anyway, so we all know very well where that is.”

Williams team principal James Vowles expressed a similar view, saying: “F1 and the FIA have been very good at providing us updates, and they have a Plan B and Plan C. This is not a decision they're taking lightly.”

Imola is being prepared as a contingency to stage the F1 season finale if the races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi are called off.