Yamaha is expected to face consequences after deciding not to race in the Qatar Grand Prix. The Japanese manufacturer cited its internal travel policy for the Middle East amid uncertainty surrounding the war in Iran. As a result, neither of its riders was present at Lusail.

Yamaha’s absence left the MotoGP grid with 18 riders, a figure that later fell to 16 because of injuries. The weekend went ahead despite a security alert for American citizens in Qatar, while strikes took place in Iran and Saudi Arabia during MotoGP’s time at Lusail.

Yamaha’s decision came during a broader dispute. Nineteen of the 22 competitors had signed a letter saying they did not want to race in Qatar, while teams and riders had been warned that refusing to compete could bring sanctions.

Two separate routes to a penalty

Yamaha has a contract with MotoGP Group and is expected to face punishment for its withdrawal, although the form of that punishment has not been established. Carlos Ezpeleta said the relationship between the two sides is purely commercial and that the contractual issue will be discussed with Yamaha. If a decision is made, it will be communicated afterwards.

The sporting side follows a different route. Ezpeleta stressed that responsibility for any sporting sanction, including a possible race ban, belongs to the FIM. The federation has not said whether Yamaha will be penalised or what such a penalty might involve.

A difficult episode for MotoGP

The Qatar dispute brought the riders closer to forming an official union than any comparable previous episode. Ezpeleta nevertheless argued that the noise around the Grand Prix exposed MotoGP unnecessarily. He said the championship, teams and riders must each review the episode and identify what needs to improve.