BASTIANINI SAYS QATAR SAFETY CONCERNS ARE UNITING MOTOGP RIDERS

MotoGP riders are seeking clearer assurances over the championship’s planned visit to Qatar, while using the uncertainty to push for a stronger collective voice in future decisions, Enea Bastianini says.

The series is due to race at Lusail International Circuit next week, but the Middle East has been affected by conflict since February. Strikes on Iran were followed by counter-attacks on regional neighbours including Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, and reports of a possible resumption of US and Israeli attacks have added to concerns about the trip. With the paddock expected to travel within days, there is little time to arrange an alternative.

Speaking at Sepang on Thursday, eight days before practice was scheduled to begin in Lusail, Tech3 KTM rider Bastianini said the situation was difficult to assess because riders did not control it. Discussions were continuing with teams and MotoGP organiser Dorna, including chief executive Carmelo Ezpeleta, as they sought a clearer understanding of the risks.

“We need to have a clear picture of the situation,” Bastianini said. He added that a concrete decision was needed by the end of the weekend: “Next week we will already be there.”

The riders are pressing for guarantees about Qatar, but Bastianini said their conversations have widened beyond the immediate race. He described the issue as bringing riders together and potentially laying the groundwork for a more organised group.

“We are also trying to figure out what to do for our future, so we’re not just talking about Qatar,” he said. The discussions were only beginning, he cautioned, and the group still had work to do. Even so, he believes the current situation could provide a useful starting point.

Bastianini said riders increasingly recognise that they could benefit from acting together. “This is why we are pushing everyone to return to having a group and above all to have more say when certain decisions are made,” he said.

For now, the immediate priority remains obtaining a clear assessment of the Qatar situation before the teams travel. But Bastianini’s comments suggest the debate may have a longer-term consequence: renewed efforts to give MotoGP riders a more unified platform and greater influence over decisions affecting them.