MotoGP keeps Qatar GP on track after meeting with teams in Malaysia
MotoGP officials confirmed the Qatar Grand Prix will proceed as scheduled despite regional conflict concerns. Yamaha has opted out of the event, citing company-wide travel restrictions.
Why it matters
The decision highlights the tension between international sporting commitments and safety concerns in regions experiencing geopolitical instability.
FILE PHOTO: MotoGP - Grand Prix of Qatar - Lusail International Circuit, Lusail, Qatar - November 19, 2023 Angeluss MTA Team's Ivan Ortola and Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP's Ayumu Sasaki in action with during the Moto3 race REUTERS/Ibraheem Al Omari/File Photo
Listen Nov 1 - MotoGP officials told teams on Sunday they had received no information warranting a change to next weekend's Qatar Grand Prix despite pushback from riders concerned about going there during the war against Iran, but Yamaha have withdrawn.
The race at the Lusail International Circuit, originally scheduled for April, was postponed to November 6 to 8 due to the conflict, which has spread through much of the region, beyond the initial US-Israeli attacks on Iran.
A group of riders had sought more assurances over travel to the Gulf region, such as details on evacuation plans and indemnity insurance.
Also covering this story
4 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
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