Since the outbreak of the war between the United States and Iran earlier this year, numerous foreseeable issues have arisen, including higher gas prices, and a bunch of Middle East motor races have been cancelled. There's like a hundred other issues, but we're RideApart, now WarApart. Although...
The races have included everything from Formula 1 to the World Endurance Championship culling races held within the region due to security issues stemming from the war—Iran and its allies have targeted Western bases and target-rich environments to put pressure on the rest of the world to pressure America to halt its attacks. It also included MotoGP, which postponed the Qatar race earlier this season, with the hopes of either rescheduling or replacing it on the calendar.
That, however, doesn't seem to be happening anymore, as the current rumor is that MotoGP will just cut the round altogether and not even replace it.
Not great, but understandable.
According to The Race, while it had been rumored that Qatar would be replaced with a double-header in Sepang, the original cancellation of Qatar earlier this year basically shifted the entire calendar so that it wouldn't be viable for the teams or the series. Basically, it would've been too much, too soon, and then not enough time for the finale of the season to actually work.
"MotoGP looks set to cancel the already-rescheduled 2026 Qatar Grand Prix," says The Race, adding, "amid ongoing uncertainty about the regional geopolitical situation in the Middle East. And, despite paddock rumours suggesting that an alternative was set to be added to the calendar to replace the Lusail race, with a double-header in Sepang touted as the most likely option, it seems that plan has now been shelved and that the championship will instead drop one of its 22 rounds."
This all comes on the heels of Formula 1's Stefano Domenicali's assurance that both Qatar and Saudi Arabia's Formula 1 races would go on as planned. That, however, seems like wishful thinking, as there seems to be no end to the conflict between Iran and the United States in sight.
Qatar's cancellation and not replacing it could mean big things for the current five-way title fight between Marc Marquez, Jorge Martin, Marco Bezzecchi, Ai Ogura, and Fabio Di Giannantonio, too, as it would mean more than 30 fewer points to vie for. What is interesting is that MotoGP has replaced races in relative short order before, i.e., last season. But who knows, maybe things are different this year?
The Race states that it expects MotoGP's brass to issue a definitive statement in the coming days on the subject, so stay tuned.
