Yamaha skips Qatar MotoGP amid Middle East travel restrictions

Yamaha will sit out the Qatar Grand Prix scheduled for next weekend, a decision that pits the Japanese manufacturer against the governing body of the series over safety protocols in the Middle East.

The team announced on Sunday that it will not participate in the event at Lusail International Circuit. Yamaha stated that it made the call independently after assessing regional conditions. The organization noted that it has not found enough reason to alter its existing company-wide travel restrictions for staff and riders.

MotoGP expressed disappointment with the move. The series organizer said it received extensive assurances from the State of Qatar, the circuit management, and independent safety advisers. It maintained that its own risk assessment did not suggest a need to change current plans. MotoGP added that the rest of the grid has confirmed they will compete in Qatar.

The series warned that Yamaha has contractual obligations and may face consequences. MotoGP stated that any sporting implications will be managed by the FIM in accordance with championship regulations. The FIM is the International Motorcycling Federation.

Yamaha is currently last in the constructors' championship with 105 points. Ducati leads the standings with 537 points. The team said it remains committed to the championship and plans to return to competition at the Portuguese Grand Prix. That race is one of two remaining events this month, with the other held in Spain.

Several riders have reportedly pushed to cancel the Qatar race. In March, Formula One and the FIA called off Grand Prix races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia due to safety concerns linked to the Iran war. Those cancellations occurred after Iran struck both countries in response to U.S. and Israeli airstrikes. The lost races represented a financial loss for F1 teams in lucrative markets.

The Formula One season is set to conclude with races in Qatar on November 29 and in Abu Dhabi on December 6.