Is MotoGP Qatar going ahead? Here's everything we know so far

MotoGP’s deputy CEO Carlos Ezpeleta says the championship is “closely monitoring” the deteriorating situation in the Middle East as its Qatar Grand Prix looms.

The war between the US and Iran that broke out in February forced MotoGP to postpone its Qatar Grand Prix from April to the weekend of 6-8 November.

But the conflict in the region has escalated in recent weeks, with three civilians killed on Thursday after an attack on an airport in Riyadh.

Numerous governments are advising against all travel to the Middle East right now, though MotoGP is - at this stage, at least - pushing on with its plans to race in Qatar.

Asked what the situation was amid intensified hostilities, Ezpeleta told reports, including Crash, on Friday in Indonesia: “So, obviously we are closely monitoring the situation.

“I mean, again, we’re planning towards going to Qatar.

“But obviously the safety and wellbeing of all the staff and fans is obviously the number one priority. So, we’ll continue to monitor the situation.”

Ezpeleta hinted at MotoGP being primed to make last-minute changes to its plans, highlighting what happened in 2024 when the series had to hastily move its finale from Valencia to Barcelona due to devastating flooding in Cheste.

“I mean, to be honest, this time, everything is planned,” he replied when asked when the deadline for a decision was.

“Even with the unfortunate event in Valencia 2024, we had to organise an event somewhere else in 10 days.

“So, there can always be unforeseen circumstances.

“So, again, we have to work together with the teams, with the promoters to make sure everything is safe, and that there are also contingency plans.”

Riders accept the situation, but time is running out for a decision

MotoGP is in a similar position to Formula 1, where it needs the race promoter to make the first move to avoid a hefty financial penalty.

F1 boss Stefano Domenicali insisted in Malaysia last week, where the rescheduled Bahrain Grand Prix was taking place, that the series will conclude in Qatar and Abu Dhabi as planned.

Imola is being prepped to stand-in at late notice should those races not go ahead, however.

MotoGP doesn’t have the luxury of time to replace the Qatar round. Reports last month suggested the Qatar GP would be cancelled without a replacement.

The series, contractually, could afford to lose Qatar and not replace it without impacting its contract with broadcasters.

Dutch broadcaster Ziggo Sport was due to be on the ground for the Qatar GP, though Crash understands that the company is not comfortable sending its people there.

This will be a wider issue MotoGP could face among manufacturers and other partners.

“I don’t want to express opinions that could get me into trouble,” Pecco Bagnaia said about the situation.

“However, if our safety is truly a priority, then we have to carefully consider all aspects.

“In my opinion, the Qatar race offers a fantastic weekend. It’s perhaps the most unique event on the MotoGP calendar in terms of spectacle.

“The race takes place at night, the circuit is excellent, and the atmosphere is magnificent. But if the conditions aren’t right, I think it’s worth waiting before making a decision.”

Qatar is due to be the end of a triple-header with Australia and Malaysia. Sepang was originally touted as a potential host of two races, should Qatar not go ahead, though this is unlikely now.

MotoGP also moved back its Portuguese and Valencia Grands Prix to make room for the postponed Qatar event. This angered many fans who had booked trips based on the original dates of those races.

More importantly, MotoGP’s post-season test, the first public outing for the 850cc bikes, is scheduled for 1 December, leaving little room to add a race.

It’s not impossible that a replacement for Qatar could be slotted into the weekend of 13-15 November, though finding a suitable venue that would allow easy transit for teams to Portugal the following week would be necessary.

On top of that, teams are not in favour of triple-headers, which were removed from the calendar last year.

Complicating matters is the fact that just two points separate Jorge Martin and Marc Marquez in the standings. One fewer round could have a huge impact on the title battle, as there would be 37 less points on the table.