2 min readMar 15, 2026 04:55 PM IST
After the Formula 1 races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were cancelled due to Israel and USA’s war against Iran, the MotoGP race at Qatar has also been postponed to November 8. The Qatar Grand Prix, which was supposed to be the fourth round of the 2026 championship, was scheduled for April 10-12.
Confirming this, the organisers of MotoGP said in a statement on their website that the decision was been taken in close coordination with the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), the Promoter and the local authorities in Qatar, with the primary objective of ensuring the safety, wellbeing, and highest‑quality delivery of the event for all participants and attendees.
Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi leads the championship after the first round in Thailand. The next two races will be held in Brazil (March 20-22) and the United States (March 27-29).
“Following extensive scenario planning and calendar analysis, the revised date has been chosen to ensure minimal disruption to the wider MotoGP schedule. As a result, the Portuguese GP in Portimão will now take place on 22 November, and the season finale in Valencia will move to 29 November, while all other rounds of the 2026 MotoGP World Championship remain unaffected,” the organisers of MotoGP said in the statement.
“This decision was taken with great care and in full coordination with our partners in Qatar and across the paddock. Our priority is always the safety and wellbeing of everyone involved in MotoGP, as well as ensuring that every Grand Prix is delivered to the highest possible standard. We also recognise the importance of providing clarity for our fans as early as possible and ticket holders will be given the opportunity to rollover their tickets to the next event,” Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of MotoGP, said.
“I would also like to thank our partners in Portimão and Valencia for their collaboration and flexibility in helping us deliver a smooth transition to the revised calendar. We are confident that the updated schedule will allow us to preserve the quality of the championship while offering fans an exceptional season of racing.”
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