MotoGP Poised to Drop Qatar Grand Prix

MotoGP is reportedly set to lose the Qatar Grand Prix from its 2026 calendar due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East, according to The Race.

The Lusail race weekend was originally scheduled for mid-April but was postponed to November following the outbreak of conflict in the region. Unfortunately, the continued military actions in the Middle East now appear likely to force MotoGP to cancel its visit to the region entirely in 2026.

Initially, there were discussions about the motorcycle world championship following Formula 1's lead and relocating the Qatar Grand Prix outside the Middle East. It's worth noting that the Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix will be held in Malaysia, and Sepang was considered a strong candidate to host an additional MotoGP race just a week after the Malaysian Grand Prix.

However, according to The Race, MotoGP officials have abandoned this idea and will simply cancel the Qatar Grand Prix without organizing a replacement event. This decision will reduce the number of rounds in the premier class for 2026 from 22 to 21, creating a slightly longer break before the final two weekends of the year.

Originally, the Portuguese Grand Prix was slated for November 13-15, with the Valencia Grand Prix a week later. Both weekends, however, were pushed back by a week to accommodate the Qatar Grand Prix.