Qatar presses ahead with November F1 and MotoGP preparations

Qatar is pressing ahead with preparations to host Formula 1 and MotoGP races in November, despite the cancellation of a major endurance event and ongoing uncertainty due to regional conflict. The country's motorsport federation confirmed that planning for the events at the Lusail International Circuit remains fully underway, though officials acknowledged they cannot offer an absolute guarantee. The assurance comes after the 2026 Qatar 1812km, the opening round of the FIA World Endurance Championship, was first postponed and then cancelled due to logistical and travel challenges stemming from the conflict in the region. Despite that setback, the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation said it is committed to hosting the scheduled November races. "The plan is to have the race," QMMF president Abdul Rahman bin Abdullatif Al Mannai said. "We are up and running and preparing for MotoGP and it's the same with our discussions with Formula 1. Of course, there are things that we cannot predict." Al Mannai emphasized that life in Qatar has returned to normal and the country is safe. "Our airport is 100 percent operational, including transit flights between Asia and Europe," he stated.