MOTOGP RIDERS RAMP UP PRESSURE TO AVOID QATAR AS TENSIONS RISE

Most MotoGP riders still prefer not to travel to Qatar for the Grand Prix while the Iran war continues, but opposition has eased sharply in a matter of days. At meetings during the Phillip Island weekend, about three-quarters of the grid said they were against going to Doha. A week later, only three riders remained opposed, according to reports. The sources do not identify the riders or explain what prompted the change in views. No rider or team quotes are included in the available reporting.

Tensions between most riders and championship organisers have since intensified in the Sepang paddock as the Qatar trip approaches. The race, initially scheduled for mid-April, was postponed after war broke out between the United States and Israel on one side and Iran on the other. Hostilities have eased, but riders are making a final push to avoid the event.