Qatar Moto GP to go ahead despite regional tensions

What the report says

MotoGP is set to proceed with next month’s Qatar Grand Prix despite heightened regional tensions, according to Al Jazeera, which cited Reuters. The race at Lusail International Circuit was originally planned for April but was moved to November 6-8 because of the broader conflict in the Middle East. It will serve as the 20th round of the season if it goes ahead as scheduled.

The report said the decision comes as several sports events in Saudi Arabia were cancelled earlier this month after a strike on Riyadh’s international airport killed at least 12 people and injured more than 300. The US State Department also ordered some diplomats and family members to leave missions in Saudi Arabia and said it planned further departures from other posts in the region. Even so, a MotoGP source told Reuters that preparations for the Qatar round were continuing and that safety remained the top priority.

The article placed the situation in a wider motorsport context, noting that Formula One is still planning to hold its final two races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. It also pointed out that the MotoGP title fight is close, with Aprilia’s Jorge Martin leading reigning champion Marc Marquez by two points after 17 of 22 rounds. Qatar’s Grand Prix has been a regular fixture on the MotoGP calendar since 2004, apart from the 2020 cancellation during the COVID-19 pandemic.