According to "Motorsport.com," which is covering the Australian Grand Prix this week, a number of riders held meetings on Thursday and Friday at the Phillip Island circuit, following discussions that took place in their private WhatsApp group during the Indonesian Grand Prix two weeks ago, with the aim of demanding that the championship organizers provide written guarantees before agreeing to travel to Qatar.
A number of riders, including Spaniard Alex Marquez, a rider for the Ducati Gresini team, and Italian Francesco Bagnaia, a Ducati team rider, want to obtain a clear evacuation plan for paddock personnel—meaning all teams and staff participating in the race—in case of necessity, in addition to a guarantee covering accommodation costs in the event of airspace closure due to bombing, and ensuring their return to their countries if the military conflict witnesses a new escalation next November.
Three-quarters of the championship's riders, out of about twenty, had expressed their opposition to traveling to Qatar during the Indonesian Grand Prix, according to the same website.
A spokeswoman for the MotoGP championship in Australia did not respond to inquiries from Agence France-Presse yesterday evening, Friday.
Qatar is still officially listed on the championship calendar, as it is scheduled to host, between November 6 and 8, the twentieth round of the MotoGP World Championship, after the Malaysian Grand Prix and before the Portugal and Spain (Valencia) rounds.
In contrast, other motorsport championships have taken more decisive steps, as the World Rally Championship (WRC) and the World Endurance Championship (WEC) canceled their races in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Bahrain. The Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia next January is also under threat.
The Formula 1 World Championship had canceled the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, which was scheduled in Jeddah, and the Bahrain Grand Prix last April, while the Bahrain Grand Prix was moved to Malaysia at the beginning of October.
As for the last two rounds of the Formula 1 season, scheduled in Qatar between November 27 and 29, and in Abu Dhabi between December 4 and 6, they are still officially listed on the race schedule, by decision of the championship management and the International Automobile Federation (FIA).
However, the consultations taking place behind the scenes appear more complex, as Agence France-Presse quoted a source familiar with the negotiations as saying that "the matter within the corridors of discussions is a completely different issue."
