MotoGP makes Qatar schedule change amid rider standoff

MotoGP has changed its schedule for the Qatar Grand Prix as a result of later-than-usual expected arrival times for several riders.

The Thursday press conference in Lusail will be delayed by four hours as a result of riders arriving later than expected to Qatar.

MotoGP’s Qatar race has been opposed by multiple riders to varying degrees. Reports emerged during the Malaysian Grand Prix that 19 of 22 riders had signed a letter sent to MotoGP Group about their opposition to the race, which is due to go ahead despite ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The riders have sought assurances from MotoGP for several weeks regarding several matters including evacuation plans, insurance, and liability.

Publicly, several riders have also made clear their opposition to racing their in any circumstances, most obviously Jack Miller, who won’t be racing at Lusail because of Yamaha’s decision to withdraw from the weekend, which was announced after the Malaysia race.

Alex Marquez is also due to miss the Qatar race after having surgery on his injured right shoulder, and Joan Mir is in doubt, too, after he withdrew from Malaysia due to recurring vision issues that had previously kept him out of four consecutive races.

Raul Fernandez, Fermin Aldeguer, and Jorge Martin were initially doubts for Qatar, but all three are due to head there to at least try to ride. Martin and Fernandez are obvious concerns, still, after both withdrew midway through the Sepang event.

But there have also been riders who have said that they will arrive as late as possible to Qatar. 

Pedro Acosta, for example, headed to Bali after the Malaysia race, while championship leader Marc Marquez, said he won’t be arriving in Qatar until Thursday evening after flying home to Spain following his Malaysia win.

Italian publication GPOne now reports that the riders will not be arriving in Qatar until the last minute, and this is the cause of the schedule change, with the press conference on Thursday being delayed until 20:00 local time, having originally been scheduled for 16:00.

It’s a four-hour delay that is likely to have little impact on the race weekend itself, but it another indicator of the exceptional circumstances in which the Qatar Grand Prix will take place this year.