Qatar GP: €100 million to reassure teams and sanctions for no-shows as MotoGP saves the grid

On one side, a €100 million guarantee; on the other, the threat of heavy penalties for anyone who stays home. With the Qatar Grand Prix just days away, MotoGP is trying to secure the Lusail weekend with a carrot-and-stick approach, while teams race against time to put together a credible grid.

According to AS, Qatari authorities have reportedly put a €100 million financial guarantee on the table to cover extraordinary expenses that insurance policies would not cover. Teams have also reportedly been given an evacuation plan in case of a military escalation that could close the airspace and leave the entire paddock stranded in the emirate.

Organizers continue to insist that the weekend will go ahead as planned. But the mere fact that these measures have been put in place speaks volumes: the concerns voiced by the riders could no longer be ignored.

The second front is considerably less reassuring. The promoter has reportedly warned teams that any absence without an accepted justification could prove costly, both financially and in sporting terms. The group meetings with riders appear to be a thing of the past: it is now up to individual teams to address the concerns of those who would rather not travel. The message is clear: guarantees have been given, and now it’s time to race.

Yamaha, however, is standing firm. The Iwata-based manufacturer is sticking to its travel restrictions and keeping all four bikes at home—those of the factory team and Pramac’s. Possible points penalties have been discussed, but no measures have been officially announced so far. The question we raised earlier in Yamaha withdraws from Qatar, Quartararo could pay for a decision that wasn’t his: points deduction possible remains open: is it right to sportingly punish a rider for a safety decision made by their employer?

With the four M1s absent, the gap in a field that usually features 22 riders is enormous, and the paddock has launched a search for replacements. At Gresini, Alex Marquez is out after undergoing surgery in Madrid, and Iker Lecuona has been called up to take his place. The surprise is Fermin Aldeguer: long expected to miss the race because of a hand fracture, he has reportedly been cleared to return to the track.

The Faenza-based team will field two Ducatis, when until recently it seemed possible that only one would make the start. The contrast is striking: while some riders do not want to go to Qatar at all, others are hurrying back from injury to be there. The next few days will reveal how many will actually line up on the Lusail grid, and whether the threatened penalties become reality.

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