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Japanese motorcycle manufacturer Yamaha announced Sunday that it will not participate in next weekend’s Qatar MotoGP Grand Prix, citing company-wide travel restrictions amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The decision comes despite assurances from MotoGP organizers that the race, scheduled for Nov. 6-8 at Lusail International Circuit, can proceed safely.
“Following its latest assessment of the situation in the Middle East, Yamaha has not identified sufficient grounds to change its existing company-wide travel restrictions,” the manufacturer said in a statement.
“As a result, Yamaha has informed MotoGP Group about its decision not to participate in the 2026 Qatar Grand Prix,” it added.
Yamaha stressed that its decision was based on its own assessment of available information and was independent of the safety measures implemented by MotoGP and the event organizers.
The withdrawal is expected to affect both Yamaha’s factory team and satellite partner Pramac, potentially leaving four riders absent from the race: Fabio Quartararo, Alex Rins, Jack Miller and Augusto Fernandez, who is replacing injured Turkish rider Toprak Razgatlioglu.
“Yamaha remains fully committed to MotoGP and looks forward to returning to competition at the Portuguese Grand Prix,” the manufacturer said.
The Portuguese Grand Prix is scheduled for Nov. 20-22.
MotoGP Group expressed disappointment with Yamaha’s decision, saying it did not reflect the safety assurances provided to championship participants.
“While we recognise the team is subject to a broader corporate policy restricting travel to the Middle East, we do not believe this decision reflects the extensive assurances provided to all championship stakeholders,” it said.
The organization said consultations with Qatari authorities, independent safety advisers and race organizers had identified no reason to change plans for the event. It added that all other manufacturers and teams had confirmed their participation.
MotoGP said Yamaha’s withdrawal carried contractual implications, while any sporting consequences would be handled by the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) under championship regulations.
The Qatar Grand Prix, originally scheduled for April, was postponed to November because of the conflict in the Middle East. (AA)
