MotoGP has confirmed a major change to the 2026 season calendar by postponing the Qatar GP, originally scheduled for April. The round in Lusail has been rescheduled for November 8 due to the ongoing geopolitical situation in the Middle East.
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The decision alters the final part of the championship and causes adjustments to two other races on the calendar. With this, the MotoGP organization aims to preserve the safety of everyone involved without compromising the season more broadly.
According to the official statement, the change was defined in coordination with the International Motorcycling Federation, the championship promoter, and local Qatari authorities. The main objective, according to the organization, is to ensure safety, well-being, and the best possible execution of the event for participants and the public.
After a detailed analysis of scenarios and the calendar, the new date was chosen to cause the least possible impact on the rest of the season. As a consequence, the Portuguese GP in Portimão will now be held on November 22, while the final round in Valencia has been moved to November 29.
The other races of the 2026 MotoGP World Championship remain unchanged. Thus, the main change is concentrated at the end of the championship, which will have a new order of rounds in the final weeks of the year.
MotoGP CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta stated that the decision was made with caution and in full alignment with the partners involved in organizing the race. “Our priority is always the safety and well-being of everyone involved in MotoGP, in addition to ensuring that each Grand Prix is held to the highest possible standard,” he said.
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Ezpeleta also highlighted the importance of providing clarity to the public as soon as possible. According to him, fans who already have tickets will have the possibility to transfer them to the new event date. The executive also thanked the cooperation of those responsible for the Portimão and Valencia rounds for their flexibility in adapting the calendar.
On the Qatari side, Abdulrahman bin Abdullatif Al Mannai, president of the Qatar Motorcycling Federation and the Lusail International Circuit, stated that local authorities support the decision. He reinforced his thanks to fans, teams, and partners for their understanding regarding the change and said the country looks forward to welcoming the public back to Lusail between November 6 and 8.
FIM President Jorge Viegas also supported the postponement of the race. For him, given the current geopolitical scenario, the safety of riders, teams, officials, and fans must be above any other consideration.
With the change, MotoGP reorganizes the final stretch of its season to maintain the championship in conditions considered appropriate by the organization. The expectation now is that the revised calendar will allow the Qatar GP to be held more safely and preserve the standard of the championship until its conclusion in Valencia.
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