With MotoGP still scheduled to race in Qatar next week amidst the current unrest in the region, Yamaha becomes the first team to pull out of the race.
In a statement delivered by the team on Sunday at the Malaysian Grand Prix, the Japanese manufacturer announced that it would not travel to or compete at the Lusail circuit next week.
Currently, Yamaha as a brand is not allowing any travel in and out of the Middle East, a stance that will not be changed with the continuation of next weekend’s Grand Prix.
“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 statement read.
“As a result, Yamaha has informed MotoGP Group about its decision not to participate in the 2026 Qatar Grand Prix.
This decision reflects Yamaha’s assessment of the information currently available and is independent of the measures implemented by MotoGP Group and the event organizer.
Yamaha remains fully committed to MotoGP and looks forward to returning to competition at the Portuguese Grand Prix.”
Currently, Monster Energy Yamaha’s riders Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins sit 14th and 20th in the standings, as Prima Pramac Yamaha’s Jack Miller sits 19th.
MotoGP replied that they’re disappointed in the decision as they believe that the decision does not take into account the extensive assurances that MotoGP is making to all championship stakeholders.
MotoGP believes its consultations with the State of Qatar, Lusail International Circuit, and independent safety advisors, paired with its own risk assessment process, provide enough certainty.
“MotoGP is disappointed by Yamaha's decision not to participate in the Qatar Grand Prix,” the full statement reads. “While we [recognize] 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.
“Following consultation with the State of Qatar, Lusail International Circuit, independent safety advisers and MotoGP's own ongoing risk assessment process, MotoGP has not received any information that would warrant a change to the current plans for the event.
“We communicated that position, together with the latest available information, to all Manufacturers and Teams today and welcome the confirmation from the remainder of the grid that they will compete in Qatar, and we thank them for that commitment.
“In addition to the contractual implications of Yamaha's decision for its agreements with MotoGP and IRTA, Yamaha's non-participation also carries sporting implications, with any sporting consequences to be managed by the FIM in accordance with the Championship regulations.”
This decision comes as F1 continues to hold back its decision on whether to run what is scheduled to be its penultimate race next month at Lusail.
The ACO has already moved the Dakar Rally out of neighboring Saudi Arabia in January.
Victoria Beaver is a nomadic sports writer who spends her time hopping between race tracks and hippie farms. She’s covered every corner of motorsports that will let her in from 410 Sprints to NASCAR to Supercross. Her daily driver is a 2010 Subaru that she refused to do the smallest amount of preventative maintenance on. Instead, she spends her free time and money building a 42-foot Skoolie to one day travel the country full time.
