Yamaha withdraws from Qatar MotoGP round

Yamaha will not compete in the 2026 Qatar MotoGP Grand Prix, citing companywide travel restrictions that it said remain in place after its latest assessment of the Middle East situation. The decision removes the manufacturer’s factory team from the race, while MotoGP says the event remains planned and the rest of the grid will compete. Yamaha announced its withdrawal after the Malaysian Grand Prix in Sepang on November 1. In its statement, the manufacturer said it had found insufficient grounds to change its existing travel restrictions and that its decision was independent of measures taken by MotoGP Group and the event organizer. Yamaha said it remained committed to the championship and expected to return at the Portuguese Grand Prix. MotoGP said it was disappointed by the decision and had received safety assurances from Qatar, Lusail International Circuit and independent advisers. The championship said its own risk assessment had not identified information warranting a change to plans for the Qatar event, scheduled for November 6-8. Those assurances and assessments are MotoGP’s account; Yamaha’s statement said its own review did not justify lifting its travel restrictions....