Yamaha won’t face sporting penalty for missing Qatar MotoGP, FIM president states

FIM president Jorge Viegas says Yamaha will not face sporting sanctions for missing the MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix, as no rules on breaching commercial contracts exist.

Yamaha withdrew both of its teams and their four riders from last weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix, as it stood by its internal travel policy regarding the Middle East amid safety concerns over the Iran war.

It came as the MotoGP Group threatened riders with sporting sanctions, including race bans, if they elected to boycott the Qatar race after 19 of the 22-strong grid signed a letter opposing the event.

Following Yamaha’s announcement, MotoGP claimed in a statement that the brand’s decision to breach its commercial contract with the championship “carries sporting implications”.

FIM president says MotoGP’s statement was wrong

However, FIM president Jorge Viegas, who remained publicly silent throughout the standoff between the riders and the championship over Qatar, now says MotoGP’s statement was “incorrect”.

“Dorna's press release, not the FIM's, was incorrect, because it stated that sporting sanctions could be imposed, which doesn't exist,” he told AS.

“We don't have any from the FIM, and because a rider who doesn't show up for a race isn't subject to sporting sanctions at this time.

“Perhaps we'll change the rules in the future, but we don't have any at this time.”

Yamaha could face financial penalty

There had been suggestions Yamaha could be docked points in the constructors’ table for missing Qatar, as part of a package of punishments.

However, MotoGP Group only has the power to impose financial sanctions, given Yamaha breached its agreement with the championship.

That said, it remains unclear how enforceable this will be if Yamaha was only following its company policy on travel, which will likely have been based on the Japanese government’s advice.

Yamaha has yet to make any comment on the matter since its original decision to withdraw from Qatar on Sunday of the Malaysian Grand Prix.

MotoGP chief Carlos Ezpeleta appeared to hold a more reserved position on the subject of sanctions for Yamaha in a recent interview with Motorsport.

“It's a commercial contract that we can't discuss publicly,” he said.

“We'll talk to Yamaha, and from there, if anything is decided, it will be communicated.

“But, as of today, our relationship with them is purely commercial, and, as we always say, we neither want to be involved nor are we in the sporting aspect.

“That's a matter for the FIM.”