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Rebellion has broken into the open in the MotoGP ranks as Yamaha has said it won't take part in the Qatar Airways Grand Prix at Lusail International Circuit this weekend due to safety concerns with military conflict potentially ramping up again.
There has been a lot of talk about the risks of going to Qatar at a time when President Donald Trump has threatened to resume airstrikes on Iran after Tuesday's U.S. midterm elections and Iran and its allies have been targeting U.S. allies in the region. The riders, many of whom feel like they have no say when changes are made, such as the addition of sprint races or the change in the qualifying schedule that begins next season, have begun talking again about forming a riders' union. But Yamaha's decision not to participate, citing a current ban on corporate travel to the region, is the first open challenge to rights holder MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group (MSEG), formerly Dorna Sports prior to its acquisition last year by Liberty Media.
"Following its latest assessment of the situation in the Middle East, Yamaha has not identified sufficient grounds to change its existing company-wide travel restrictions," Yamaha Motor Co. said in a statement.
MSEG issued a statement saying it was disappointed with Yamaha's decision and added, "Following consultation with the State of Qatar, Lusail International Circuit, independent safety advisers, and MotoGP's own ongoing risk assessment process, MotoGP has not received any information that would warrant a change to the current plans for the event."
The Qatar race was originally scheduled for April but was moved to the end of the season due to the war. But more than half a year after the original date, risks still exist.
What's the risk?
While talks are taking place between Iranian and U.S. officials through mediators, according to multiple news reports, Trump has also suggested that air strikes could resume after the election. If that happens, Iran will certainly respond any way it can. Houthi rebels in Yemen, allied with Iran, struck the King Khalid International Airport in the capital city of Saudi Arabia this past month, killing several people and shutting down the airport. Many in the MotoGP paddock are wondering what would happen if the airport in Doha, Qatar were attacked and shut down, leaving the teams stranded in a war zone.
The Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar is a key base of operations for the United States in the region, so Qatar could easily be among the targets if air strikes and drone attacks resume.
Why must the show go on?
It's not because tens of thousands of MotoGP fans will be disappointed if they don't get to see a race this weekend. While at races from Malaysia to Misano you'll see packed grandstands of enthusiastic fans in matching T-shirts and waving banners and flags, you won't see that at Lusail, because it doesn't exist. MotoGP goes to Qatar for money, not for fans. Qatar pays a big fee to host the event and canceling will blow a hole in the MSEG budget.
Critics of MSEG see this as just another case of putting profits ahead of the good of the sport or its competitors, similar to the addition of sprint races (meaning the MotoGP class lines up for 44 races a year), the changes to the qualifying schedule for next year, the decision to race on a street course in Australia starting next year, etc.
So far, it appears the other four manufacturers in MotoGP are still planning to go to Qatar, even though many riders and team members are not happy about it. In one sense, the consequences are smaller for Yamaha than for any of the other four brands. The FIM could penalize riders and teams who do not participate by banning them from the last two races of the year or imposing other penalties, but Yamaha currently ranks last in the constructors points and of the four Yamaha riders, Fabio Quartararo is the highest ranked in the rider standings, and he's 14th. So those penalties don't make an impact the way they would for a team contending for a championship. MSEG could also sue Yamaha for breach of contract, but that would be a monetary impact Yamaha could easily absorb.
The range of potential outcomes is as broad as it is unpredictable. Trump's threats could be mere bluster meant as a bargaining tactic and nothing will happen this week. Or the United States could target Iran's nuclear bunker and Houthi rebels could send a drone carrying explosives into the MotoGP paddock. Is the latter likely or even doable? Maybe not. Yamaha decided not to find out firsthand.
