Yamaha will not compete in the 2026 Qatar Grand Prix, scheduled for 6–8 November at Lusail. The decision removes Fabio Quartararo, Alex Rins, Jack Miller and Augusto Fernandez from the MotoGP grid and represents a major escalation in the dispute surrounding the event’s security and viability.

Yamaha says its choice is based on existing company-wide travel restrictions. After reassessing the situation in the Middle East, the manufacturer said it had found no sufficient reason to change those restrictions and had informed MotoGP Group that it would not participate. Yamaha also stressed that its decision is independent of the measures introduced by MotoGP Group and the event organiser.

The manufacturer has reaffirmed its full commitment to MotoGP and expects to return at the Portuguese Grand Prix. The move follows the latest advice from the Japanese government to refrain from non-essential travel to Qatar. Alex Rins had already indicated during the Malaysian weekend that Yamaha was uncertain about attending Lusail.

Riders oppose the Qatar event

The manufacturer’s withdrawal comes after several meetings among MotoGP riders during the preceding weeks. Speaking at the Malaysian Grand Prix in Sepang, Miller said that 19 of the 22 riders did not want to race in Qatar and that their position had been made clear. He described the riders as united in trying to stop the event from going ahead, while also saying that a large part of the paddock shared their concerns.

The objections are linked to the possibility that the conflict between Iran and the United States could escalate, creating an immediate risk for everyone at the circuit. There is also concern that a closure of regional airspace could leave teams and riders stranded in Doha and jeopardise the final two rounds of the season. Qatar is due to be followed by the races at Portimao and Valencia, making the ability to leave the country a sporting as well as a personal-safety issue.

Miller has additionally criticised the championship’s decision to proceed openly with a clearly publicised event. MotoGP is scheduled to run at a known location and at announced times, including a 10:55 race start, something Miller believes could make the paddock more exposed if Iran or allied forces in the region decided to launch an attack. Riders are said to have received assurances that an evacuation plan exists if conditions deteriorate, but the way that plan would operate has not been detailed.

The riders’ opposition has also produced a dispute over possible consequences. Financial and sporting penalties are understood to be under consideration for riders who miss the Qatar round, with race bans reportedly among the measures discussed. The enforceability of those penalties remains disputed, and the FIM has not commented on the issue. Without a government travel ban or a cancellation by the organisers, cancelling the race would also carry a substantial financial impact for MotoGP.

What happens to Yamaha’s Moto2 project?

Yamaha’s announcement does not settle the position of its Moto2 operation. That decision is particularly important for Izan Guevara, the Pramac Yamaha Moto2 rider who is fighting Manuel Gonzalez for the intermediate-class world championship. Guevara moved to within 3.5 points of Gonzalez after the Sepang race, with Qatar opening the remaining three-round sequence before Portimao and Valencia.

The Moto2 project uses a Triumph engine and a Boscoscuro chassis, while its technical requirements do not depend on Yamaha technicians in the same way as the manufacturer’s MotoGP programme. The Moto2 team may therefore make a separate decision about travelling to Lusail, but Yamaha’s announcement contains no final answer on whether Guevara’s title challenge will continue there.

Yamaha is not the only rider-related absence already established for Qatar. Gresini Ducati’s Alex Marquez will miss the round because of surgery, while injured Trackhouse rider Raul Fernandez is expected to be present. The wider question is whether Yamaha’s withdrawal will prompt similar decisions from other manufacturers, including Honda, or whether the remaining teams will follow MotoGP’s plan to stage the event.