Criticism of Qatar: Carlos Ezpeleta admits to mistakes in dealing with the teams

19 of the 22 registered MotoGP riders had spoken out against racing in Qatar whilst in Sepang. Yamaha was ultimately the only manufacturer to stay away from the Grand Prix in Lusail. The race went ahead without any safety incidents. However, the dispute in the run-up to the event continues to preoccupy the promoter.

Following Sunday’s Grand Prix, Carlos Ezpeleta defended the decision to go ahead with the race during a small press briefing in Doha. At the same time, he acknowledged that MotoGP should have communicated better with those involved.

Too much drama and commotion ahead of the GP?

“We had the strongest possible assurances that we could come here and stage the Grand Prix. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be here,” explained the deputy managing director of the MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group. Ezpeleta had already travelled to Doha during the Malaysian GP weekend to speak with local officials. The authorities and the local organiser had given assurances that the event could be held safely. Contingency plans were in place in case the situation worsened.

Ezpeleta pointed out that other sporting events had also taken place in the region without triggering similarly heated debates. However, the comparison falls short: other organisers came to a different conclusion. The World Endurance Championship cancelled its races in Qatar and Bahrain, and the football match between Argentina and Spain scheduled for Lusail was also called off.

Ezpeleta admits to mistakes in dealing with those involved

In Ezpeleta’s view, apart from heightened security measures, the weekend on the ground differed little from previous editions. Nevertheless, he sees room for improvement in his dealings with the teams and drivers. “We made all the necessary preparations, except perhaps when it came to communicating with the teams. We are learning from this and will try to do better in future,” said Ezpeleta.

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It remains to be seen what the consequences of Yamaha’s withdrawal will be. The Japanese manufacturer had justified its decision on the basis of its own guidelines regarding staff safety. Ezpeleta declined to comment on possible contractual implications.

The promoter will speak with Yamaha and subsequently announce any decision. Regarding potential sporting sanctions, he referred to the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM): “Our relationship with Yamaha is of a commercial nature. The FIM is responsible for sporting matters,” Ezpeleta clarified.

The fact that the Grand Prix took place without any safety incidents only partially answers the question of how to address the concerns of the riders and teams. Ezpeleta outlined the assurances and contingency plans on Sunday in Doha. For those involved, this information would have been crucial before they set off, when they had to decide whether to travel to Qatar.