MotoGP calendar shake up due to situation in Persian Gulf

3 months ago 26
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MotoGP Calendar Updated

MotoGP has confirmed the Qatar Grand Prix will no longer be held in April, with the Lusail round now rescheduled for November 6-8 due to the ongoing geopolitical situation in the Middle East.

The change was made in coordination with the FIM, the MotoGP promoter, and local authorities in Qatar, with organisers citing safety, well-being, and the need to deliver the event to the expected standard for teams, riders, and spectators.

The revised date places Qatar in the final phase of the 2026 MotoGP World Championship and forces changes to the calendar’s closing rounds. The Portuguese Grand Prix at Portimão will now take place on November 22, while the season finale in Valencia moves to November 29.

All other rounds on the 2026 MotoGP calendar are set to remain unchanged.

MotoGP says the November date was selected after reviewing a range of options to minimise disruption to the broader championship schedule.

MotoGP CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta said the decision had been made carefully and in consultation with organisers in Qatar and stakeholders across the paddock, with safety remaining the primary concern.

Ezpeleta also said ticket holders would be offered the chance to roll over their tickets to the rescheduled event.

Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation and Lusail International Circuit president Abdulrahman bin Abdullatif Al Mannai said local organisers respected and supported the decision, while thanking fans, teams and partners for their understanding.

FIM president Jorge Viegas also backed the move, saying the protection of riders, teams, officials and fans had to remain the priority given the situation in the region.

The rescheduling means the 2026 season will now conclude later than first planned, with Qatar becoming the penultimate round before the championship wraps up in Valencia at the end of November.

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2026 MotoGP Calendar

Rnd

Date

Event

Circuit

1

01 Mar

Thai

Chang International Circuit

2

22 Mar

Brazil*

Autodromo Internacional Ayrton Senna

3

29 Mar

US

Circuit of the Americas

4

26 Apr

Spain**

Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto

5

10 May

France

Le Mans

6

17 May

Catalonia

Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya

7

31 May

Italy

Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello

8

07 Jun

Hungary

Balaton Park Circuit

9

21 Jun

Czech

Automotodrom Brno

10

28 Jun

Netherlands

TT Circuit Assen

11

12 Jul

Germany

Sachsenring

12

09 Aug

GB

Silverstone Circuit

13

30 Aug

Aragon

MotorLand Aragon

14

13 Sep

San Marino

Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli

15

20 Sep

Austria

Red Bull Ring-Spielberg

16

04 Oct

Japan

Mobility Resort Motegi

17

11 Oct

Indonesia

Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit

18

25 Oct

Australia

Phillip Island

19

01 Nov

Malaysia

Petronas Sepang International Circuit

20

08 Nov

Qatar

Lusail International Circuit

21

22 Nov

Portugal

Autodromo Internacional do Algarve

22

29 Nov

Valencia

Circuit Ricardo Tormo


2026 MotoGP Championship Standings

Pos Rider Points
1 P. Acosta 32
2 M. Bezzecchi 25
3 R. Fernandez 23
4 J. Martin 18
5 A. Ogura 17
6 B. Binder 13
7 F. Di Giannantonio 12
8 M. Márquez (Marc) 9
9 F. Morbidelli 8
10 F. Bagnaia 8
11 L. Marini 6
12 J. Zarco 5
13 E. Bastianini 4
14 D. Moreira 3
15 J. Mir 3
16 F. Quartararo 2
17 A. Rins 1
18 M. Viñales 0
19 T. Razgatlioglu 0
20 J. Miller 0
21 M. Pirro 0
22 A. Márquez (Alex) 0
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