Qatar Grand Prix was ‘right decision’ despite regional tensions: MotoGP

What the report says

MotoGP deputy chief Carlos Ezpeleta said the championship made the right call in going ahead with the Qatar Grand Prix, even as riders raised concerns about travelling to the Gulf amid regional tensions linked in the article to the United States-Israel war on Iran. He said the race was based on official information from the Qatari government and embassies, and that organisers would have cancelled or delayed it again if conditions had worsened.

The event had already been moved from April to November 6–8 because of the security climate. Ezpeleta said the atmosphere in Qatar was not affected in the same way as in some neighbouring Gulf states and that planning accelerated once the situation improved in June and July. The race took place at Lusail International Circuit, where Aprilia rider Marco Bezzecchi won.

Ezpeleta also said Yamaha’s absence was unexpected. According to the report, Yamaha withdrew citing company-wide travel restrictions for the Middle East, leaving its factory and satellite teams off the grid and reducing the field. Ezpeleta said the team’s questions had been answered and that the sport’s governing body, FIM, would handle any sporting consequences.

He added that the episode exposed a need for better communication with riders and teams, and compared the debate to past safety controversies in MotoGP, including the 2011 Japanese Grand Prix after the Fukushima disaster.