MotoGP postpones Qatar Grand Prix to November due to Middle East conflict
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Italian Marco Bezzecchi of Aprilia Racing celebrates with his team after winning the MotoGP Grand Prix of Thailand at Chang International Circuit, Buriram province on March 1, 2026.
PHOTO: EPA
The Qatar Grand Prix scheduled for next month has been postponed to November due to the conflict in the Middle East, MotoGP announced on March 15.
The Lusail International Circuit was set to host the fourth round of the 2026 championship from April 10 to 12 but it has now been rescheduled for Nov 8, the organisers said in a statement.
The US-Israeli strikes on Iran have affected countries throughout the Gulf, disrupting travel in some of the world’s busiest transit hubs and forcing several sporting events to be cancelled.
“MotoGP confirms that the Qatar Grand Prix, originally scheduled for April, has been postponed to Nov 8 due to the ongoing geopolitical situation in the Middle East,” the statement said.
“Following extensive scenario planning and calendar analysis, the revised date has been chosen to ensure minimal disruption to the wider MotoGP schedule.”
The Portuguese Grand Prix will now take place on Nov 22 and the season finale in Valencia will move to Nov 29, the organisers added.
Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi won the opening race but KTM’s Pedro Acosta leads the championship after the first round in Thailand by winning the sprint and finishing second in the race. The next two races will be held in Brazil (March 20-22) and the United States (March 27-29).
The conflict has also affected Formula One, with the sport announcing on March 14 that races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in April were officially cancelled. REUTERS
