DOHA : MotoGP made the right decision to proceed with the Qatar Grand Prix despite concerns among riders about travelling to the Gulf during the conflict involving Iran, championship deputy CEO Carlos Ezpeleta said, while admitting Yamaha’s withdrawal from the race came as a surprise.
Ezpeleta said MotoGP had based its decision on official information from the Qatari government and embassies with a significant presence in the paddock, adding that the race would have been cancelled or postponed again had the security situation deteriorated.
The race, originally scheduled for April, was moved to November 6-8 because of the conflict.
“We can unequivocally say that it was the right decision,” Ezpeleta told Reuters. “Obviously, it was normal that the riders showed their concerns and I think that we mitigated those and confronted those to the best that we possibly could.”
He said it was important to rely on verified information rather than media speculation and disinformation, which he believed had fuelled concerns surrounding the event.
Several sporting events in Saudi Arabia, including soccer, tennis, golf and cycling competitions, have been cancelled or postponed in recent weeks following attacks on Riyadh’s international airport last month that killed at least 12 people.
Ezpeleta said Qatar had not been affected in the same way as some of its Gulf neighbours and that preparations for the race had accelerated after conditions improved between June and July.
Yamaha, however, withdrew from the Qatar Grand Prix, citing “company-wide travel restrictions” for the Middle East. Neither its factory team nor satellite outfit Prima Pramac competed, reducing the starting grid to 18 riders.
“I can say that the decision surprised us, given the level of detail that was put into the assessment and all the planning,” Ezpeleta said.
“All the questions that Yamaha had were answered. Ultimately, Yamaha is a great partner of the championship historically and I’m sure they will continue to be.”
MotoGP said Yamaha’s absence had sporting implications, with any disciplinary matters to be handled by the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM), the sport’s governing body.
Ezpeleta declined to speculate on possible penalties, saying contractual matters would be discussed directly with Yamaha while sporting issues would be left to the FIM.
He expressed disappointment at the withdrawal, saying teams were expected to participate throughout the season and attend every race.
Yamaha and the FIM did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.
Yamaha’s Moto2 team did travel to Qatar, with rider Izan Guevara involved in a close title battle and sitting second in the championship standings. He suffered a technical problem and failed to finish the race.
The episode also raised questions about communication between MotoGP management, teams and riders, with Ezpeleta acknowledging that improvements were needed.
“We have to proactively push to improve communication, especially with the teams and the riders because they are obviously the most important part of the championship,” he said.
Ezpeleta said MotoGP, which has been managed by the Ezpeleta family for 35 years, had faced similar controversies in the past, citing the 2011 Japanese Grand Prix held after the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
“There was a lot of controversy at the time, as was now with Qatar, guided by misinformation and speculation, rather than facts,” he said.
Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi won the Qatar Grand Prix, while Ducati’s Marc Marquez, who had won the sprint race, finished second to extend his championship lead to 60 points with two rounds remaining.
