Loading
Losail International Circuit and the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) are continuing preparations for the Qatar Formula 1 and MotoGP grands prix, despite the fluid geopolitical situation in the Middle East.
The conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran has already disrupted international motorsport calendars. The World Endurance Championship was forced to postpone and later cancel the Qatar 1812 KM, which was initially scheduled for February before being moved to October. The WEC then transferred its season finale to Monza.
That precedent has placed the closing stages of several championships under scrutiny. Formula 1 is scheduled to visit Qatar in late November before ending its season in Abu Dhabi, while MotoGP is also due to race at Losail. The World Rally Championship, meanwhile, is set to travel to Saudi Arabia for its final round.
With the regional situation still developing, decisions on those events will depend on how conditions evolve. For now, however, Qatar says its preparations are continuing as planned. The possibility of an alternative F1 venue has also been discussed, with Imola emerging as a potential contingency option if Middle East instability prevents the Gulf races from taking place.
Speaking as the return of the WEC Prologue to Losail in 2027 was announced, Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Latif Al Mannai, president of the QMMF and Losail International Circuit, confirmed that both the F1 and MotoGP races remain scheduled for now.
“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.”
Al Mannai acknowledged that the situation was difficult to predict, but said it had remained calm so far. He added that preparations could not be paused while organisers monitored developments over the next two months.
“From our side, we cannot stop the preparations. We have to be ready. We are moving step by step to monitor the situation and assess it. But for now, everything is fine. Everything remains in place.”
The QMMF president also separated the wider geopolitical uncertainty from Qatar’s ability to stage major sporting events. He said the country had demonstrated that capability and remained committed to hosting the 2026 races.
Al Mannai added that Qatar had been safe for several months, that its airport was operating at full capacity—particularly for transit flights between Asia and Europe—and that daily life had returned to normal.
For now, Losail’s message is clear: the organisers are preparing to host both championships, while accepting that the final decision will be dictated by events beyond the circuit.
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.