Yamaha announced on Sunday that it will not participate in the MotoGP Qatar race scheduled for next week, citing the "situation in the Middle East" as the reason for this decision.
Reasons for Yamaha's Withdrawal
The Japanese company issued a statement after the MotoGP Malaysia race, stating that the risk of traveling to Qatar is not worth it. Yamaha emphasized in this statement: "Yamaha has not identified any sufficient reason to alter its global travel restrictions. "
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Yamaha riders include Fabio Quartararo from France, the world champion in 2021, and Alex Rins from Spain. Additionally, Jack Miller from Australia, who races for the Yamaha-Primack satellite team, will be pleased with this decision, as he had expressed his concerns about traveling to Qatar prior to Yamaha's announcement.
Reaction from the MotoGP Group
The MotoGP group expressed disappointment over this decision, stating that Yamaha's non-participation also has sporting consequences. The group further stated: "While we respect the company's overall policy in limiting travel to the Middle East, we do not believe this decision reflects the broad assurances provided to all championship stakeholders."
The MotoGP group also referred to negotiations with Qatari organizers and safety consultants, adding that no reason has been given to change the plans for this event. They emphasized: "We have communicated this position along with the latest available information to all manufacturers and teams, and we thank the other teams for confirming their participation in Qatar."
The current MotoGP season will conclude with three races remaining, with the race in Qatar being the first remaining event on the competitive calendar. While Marc Marquez, a seven-time world champion, won the Sepang race and may secure his title in Doha, sporting events in the Gulf region are affected by conflicts and tensions with Iran and Saudi Arabia's conflicts with the Houthis in Yemen.
In recent weeks, Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia's civilian infrastructure have reached an unprecedented level since the conflict began in Yemen in 2014. Additionally, sporting competitions in this region have been significantly impacted by the ongoing situation.
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