Marco Bezzecchi has explained why he did not sign the letter in which 19 of MotoGP’s 22 riders asked the championship to accept personal responsibility for anything that might go wrong at the Qatar Grand Prix. The request came amid concerns about security in the region and fears that the war involving Iran could escalate.

The Aprilia rider said he trusted the organisers not to send the grid to an unsafe venue. He acknowledged that Qatar was more favourable to him with his title hopes fading, but stressed that the issue had been raised well before the race and was not the main reason for his decision. Ai Ogura and Johann Zarco were the other two riders who did not sign.

MotoGP maintained its position and threatened sanctions against riders or teams that boycotted the event. Yamaha withdrew, citing its company travel policy covering the Middle East. The Qatar Grand Prix had nevertheless already begun as the dispute surrounding the event continued.

Tensions in Doha remained high on Friday evening as military activity increased in Qatar and the wider region. On the same day, the United States urged its citizens in the Gulf to exercise heightened vigilance. Bezzecchi’s reasoning was that the decision to hold the race indicated that the organisers considered the venue safe for the riders.