Qatar insists Losail is safe and presses ahead with F1 and MotoGP plans despite Middle East tensions

Qatar’s motorsport authority is pressing ahead with plans to host both the Formula 1 and MotoGP grands prix at Losail International Circuit later this year, insisting the country is safe and fully operational despite the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.

Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Latif Al Mannai, president of the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) and Losail International Circuit, confirmed that neither event has been removed from the schedule. “The plan is to have the race,” he said. “We are fully operational and we are preparing for MotoGP, and the same applies to our discussions with Formula 1.”

The regional situation has already claimed one major motorsport casualty in Qatar. The WEC’s Qatar 1812 KM was first postponed from its original February date, rescheduled for October, and ultimately cancelled entirely, with the series moving its season finale to Monza instead. That precedent has placed the remaining Middle East rounds across several championships under close scrutiny.

Formula 1 is scheduled to race at Losail in late November before the season concludes in Abu Dhabi, while MotoGP also has a Losail round on its calendar. The WRC is separately due to visit Saudi Arabia for the final round of its season.

Al Mannai acknowledged the uncertainty but said Qatar has no choice but to continue preparing. “Of course, some things are impossible to predict. It’s difficult. We don’t know what is going to happen. The situation has been very fluid, although it has remained very calm so far. It will depend on what happens over the next two months or so. From our side, we cannot stop the preparations. We have to be ready.”

The QMMF president was keen to draw a distinction between the broader geopolitical picture and Qatar’s own ability to stage international events safely. “We have to separate geopolitics from Qatar’s capabilities when it comes to organising sporting events,” he said. “Qatar has demonstrated that it is capable of safely hosting major international sporting events and organising them to the highest standards. The events of 2026 do not change our capabilities or our commitment. Qatar has been safe for several months now.”

The comments came alongside a separate announcement that the WEC Prologue will return to Losail in 2027, a booking that signals at least some long-term confidence in the circuit’s future on the international calendar. Final decisions on the F1 and MotoGP rounds will depend on how the regional situation develops over the coming weeks.