MotoGP To Assess West Asia Conditions For Next Year, Rules Out Rotation Plans - Deputy CEO
By Siti Radziah Hamzah
KUALA LUMPUR Nov 2 (Bernama) -- MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group SL will assess conditions in West Asia as it plans next year’s schedule, with no immediate plans to rotate races if the regional conflict is prolonged, its deputy chief executive officer (CEO) Carlos Ezpeleta said.
Ezpeleta said MotoGP would assess the situation as it develops for next year, with safety determining whether races could proceed.
“If an event is high risk, we would not be there. Maybe for the future we have to look into, as our calendar continues to grow globally, maybe there are some countries that have to rotate, but that is not something that is in our plan right now.
“We have no plans to start rotating events in the short term,” he said in an interview with Bernama over the weekend at the recently concluded Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia.
Ezpeleta was asked whether MotoGP Group might introduce a temporary rotation policy or pause host contracts for venues in high-risk zones starting next season to protect calendar stability.
For the 2026 MotoGP season, the calendar was officially scheduled for 22 Grand Prix rounds. However, due to the cancellation of the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island in late October, the season will realistically conclude with 21 active Grand Prix rounds.
On the West Asia conflict’s impact this year, Ezpeleta said airspace closures had disrupted the movement of freight and personnel returning from Thailand when the conflict began.
Ezpeleta said MotoGP’s objective remained to complete its scheduled calendar, subject to safety assessments.
He said the organiser had worked closely with the Qatari government in recent months and received assurances on risk assessments, contingency plans, and event safety.
“As of now, we think that the event can, (with) the information and the advice that we have, we think that the event can be held safely next week (this week).
“Obviously, we continue to monitor the situation every day, but as of now, we are prepared to be in Qatar," said Ezpeleta.
The Qatar Grand Prix, scheduled for Nov 6-8 at the Lusail International Circuit, has become the flashpoint of a major standoff between MotoGP Group management and the grid.
The race, originally scheduled for April, was postponed following the West Asia conflict. Riders have sought assurances on evacuation plans and insurance coverage, while MotoGP has maintained that the event can proceed based on assurances from Qatari authorities and independent safety assessments.
However, Yamaha announced on Sunday that it would not participate, citing company-wide travel restrictions following its latest assessment of the situation in the region.
The Japanese manufacturer said its decision was independent of measures taken by MotoGP and the event organiser.
Ezpeleta said the conflict had affected MotoGP financially through freight and logistics, with fuel prices having the greatest impact this year.
However, he did not provide a financial estimate of MotoGP's operational finances.
-- BERNAMA