Explanation: Why Yamaha is absent from Qatar, but Pramac’s Moto2 team is taking part

Two hours after the Malaysian Grand Prix, Yamaha announced that its two MotoGP teams would not be competing at the Qatar Grand Prix at the Lusail International Circuit on the outskirts of Doha. Based on the current assessment of the situation in the Persian Gulf, no sufficient grounds had been identified to amend the existing company-wide travel restrictions.

Many Japanese companies are adhering to the guidelines issued by the Japanese government, although it should be noted that these are recommendations rather than regulations. As of 4 November, travel warnings have been issued for several countries on the Arabian Peninsula, including Qatar.

The Japanese government has not imposed a blanket legal ban on its citizens travelling abroad. However, it does issue official travel warnings, which Japanese citizens are advised to heed. Employees of Yamaha, or any other manufacturer or team, who hold a Japanese passport and are also resident in Japan are therefore permitted to travel to Qatar, although the government strongly advises against it.

Withdrawing from the Qatar round is easier for Yamaha than for others, as its best M1 rider, Fabio Quartararo, is currently 14th in the World Championship standings. It was also the Frenchman who secured the team’s best Grand Prix result of the year by finishing fifth in Barcelona on 17 May.

Kämpfen um den Moto2-Titel: Manuel Gonzalez (li.) und Izan Guevara

Foto: Gold and Goose Photography

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In the Moto2 World Championship, Pramac is battling for the title

Although Yamaha does not have its own team in the Moto2 World Championship, it provides significant support to the Pramac squad, as the team name itself indicates: Blu Cru Pramac Yamaha. However, it is not Yamaha that calls the shots for this team, but owner Paolo Campinoti. Furthermore, there is not a single Japanese rider on the team.

But what is likely to carry even greater weight is this: whilst Yamaha is lagging behind in MotoGP and can be found at the bottom of the standings in both the Constructors’ and Teams’ Championships, next year’s MotoGP rider Izan Guevara is in contention for the title in Moto2. Ahead of Qatar, he is just 3.5 points behind championship leader Manuel Gonzalez from the southern German team Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact.

What decision would Yamaha have made if Fabio Quartararo, Alex Rins, Jack Miller or Toprak Razgatlioglu were fighting for the world title?