The Qatar GP, scheduled for April 10-12, has been rescheduled for November 8 amid the ongoing war between the United States and Israel against Iran.
Posted on March 15, 2026
The Qatar Grand Prix scheduled to take place next month has been postponed due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the sport’s governing body has announced.
“MotoGP confirms that the Qatar Grand Prix, originally scheduled for April, has been postponed until November 8 due to the current geopolitical situation in the Middle East,” MotoGP said on Sunday.
The Lusail International Circuit was scheduled to host the fourth round of the 2026 championship from April 10 to 12, but has now been rescheduled to November 8, organizers said in a statement.
“Following extensive scenario planning and calendar analysis, the revised date was chosen to ensure minimal disruption to the overall MotoGP calendar.”
The Portuguese Grand Prix will now take place on November 22 and the season finale in Valencia will be moved to November 29, organizers added.
Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi leads the championship after the first round in Thailand. The next two races will be held in Brazil (March 20-22) and the United States (March 27-29).
Earlier on Sunday, Formula One and its governing body the FIA said Grand Prix races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia will not take place in April due to security concerns related to the Iran war.
Both countries have been hit during Iran’s retaliatory attacks after the United States and Israel launched a wave of attacks against Iran.
The announcement was made in Shanghai ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix.
“Due to the current situation in the Middle East region, the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grands Prix will not take place in April,” F1 said. “While several alternatives were considered, it was ultimately decided that no substitutions would be made in April.”
F1 was due to race in Bahrain on April 12 and in the Saudi city of Jeddah on April 19.
“Although it was a difficult decision to make, it is unfortunately the right one at this time considering the current situation in the Middle East,” said Stefano Domenicali, F1 president and chief executive.
“The FIA will always prioritize the safety and well-being of our community and colleagues. After careful consideration, we have made this decision with that responsibility firmly in mind,” said FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
The FIA did not explicitly rule out rescheduling the races and, like F1, did not use the words “cancel” or “postpone” when announcing that the series would not be held in Bahrain or Saudi Arabia next month.
