Honda Heads to Qatar and Distances Itself from Yamaha: “We’re Working with the Riders to Make Sure the Race Goes Ahead”

Honda is taking the opposite approach to Yamaha. While the Iwata-based manufacturer has already announced that it will not take part in the Qatar GP, HRC has issued an official statement confirming its presence at Lusail.

A brief, almost matter-of-fact statement that does not address the safety concerns raised by the riders in recent days.

HRC’s message is limited to two sentences: "Honda HRC will take part in Round 20 of the MotoGP World Championship, which is being held in Qatar," the statement reads. "We have worked closely with the riders, our team members and MotoGPSEG to ensure the weekend goes ahead as planned." There is no mention of the situation in the region or the requests made by the riders.

The Lusail race has been shrouded in uncertainty since February, when conflict broke out in the Middle East between Iran on one side and the United States and Israel on the other. The Grand Prix was moved to November on the assumption that by then the war would have eased or ended. That has not been the case: a week before the event, the conflict is still ongoing and, after a period of relative calm, could flare up again following the US midterm elections.

Tensions in the paddock have risen between Phillip Island and Sepang. The riders have held several meetings, and most of them signed a letter delivered to the championship organizers in Malaysia, expressing their discontent with the decision to race regardless. For now, however, the schedule remains unchanged.

Honda’s position comes after Yamaha’s opposing decision. At the end of the Sepang race, Yamaha explicitly announced that it would not race in Qatar. MotoGP responded by raising the possibility of sporting sanctions against the Japanese brand, although the FIM, the body responsible for sporting sanctions in the World Championship, has yet to comment. A power struggle is underway, which we discuss here.

The Yamaha tuning fork will not disappear from Lusail entirely: the Pramac Moto2 team has independently decided to be there. It is an understandable choice, given that Izan Guevara leaves Malaysia just 3.5 points behind championship leader Manuel Gonzalez.

It remains to be seen which Honda will show up in Qatar. Joan Mir, who returned at Sepang for his first race since September, admitted he was not sure he would take part: the blurred vision problems returned during the Malaysian GP. HRC’s confirmation therefore concerns the team, not necessarily all its riders, and the coming days will show whether the manufacturers’ front remains divided right up to the start at Lusail.

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