MotoGP plans to hold Qatar Grand Prix in November
Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta says the Qatar MotoGP round is scheduled to proceed on November 8, pending no radical changes in the regional situation.
MotoGP boss Carmelo Ezpeleta says the series plans to hold its Qatar Grand Prix as scheduled on November 8. The event's status had been questioned due to ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Ezpeleta, the CEO of series promoter Dorna Sports, stated the intention to go ahead during an interview with DAZN. He cited regular contact with Qatari authorities who have expressed willingness to host the race. We are regularly in contact with Qatar, the authorities tell us that they are willing to organise it, and if nothing changes radically, the idea is that we will indeed go, Ezpeleta said.
Regional Impact on Motorsport
The conflict has already disrupted other major motorsport events in the region this year. Formula 1's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was cancelled. The Bahrain Grand Prix was relocated to Malaysia. Both the postponed F1 race in Qatar and the MotoGP round have faced uncertainty.
The Qatar Grand Prix was originally set for April 12. It was moved to November because of the conflict. MotoGP has not announced any plans to cancel the event outright.
Implications for the Title Fight
Ezpeleta also discussed the potential impact of cancelling a Grand Prix on the increasingly tight championship battle. Every point could prove decisive in the final standings. The Qatar round is supposed to be the 20th of the season.
The CEO remains in regular contact with senior executives from Liberty Media, which owns Formula 1. He was also present at F1's Spanish Grand Prix at the new Madrid circuit last weekend.
The 2027 Calendar
The decision on Qatar also has implications for the future. The confirmation of whether MotoGP can race there this year will affect the 2027 calendar, which has yet to be published. Formula 1 has already announced its 2027 schedule.
Qatar has traditionally featured near the start of the MotoGP season in recent years. Ezpeleta expects MotoGP’s 2027 calendar to be announced "very soon." He suggested it could be published before the championship begins its Asian tour in Japan in early October. "I really think we will publish the 2027 calendar very soon, probably next week or immediately afterwards," he stated.
