The uncertainty over the Qatar Grand Prix amid a tight championship battle is leaving MotoGP with a big headache that is only poised to get worse.
The ongoing Middle East conflict has only intensified in recent weeks, though both MotoGP and Formula 1 are adamant that their races in the region will go ahead.
The Qatar Grand Prix is due to be the final part of a triple-header that begins this weekend with the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island.
But should the race not go ahead, no plans have been put in place for there to be a replacement, with the current points gap between Jorge Martin and Marc Marquez standing at just two.
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The loss of 37 points could be vital in the outcome of the championship battle, but even more so for one of the protagonists, depending on what happens at Phillip Island.
Not only does MotoGP face an uncomfortable situation if it does go to Qatar, the late decision to cancel - should that come to pass - will also raise questions.
And the championship will then also likely face conspiracies from some circles.
MotoGP was already accused by some corners of social media of working in Martin’s favour, after he was not penalised for an alleged jump start.
Footage of the incident showed Martin broke no rules.
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On the latest Crash MotoGP Podcast, Amy Reynolds is joined by Lewis Duncan and Peter McLaren to discuss the Qatar GP uncertainty and what the outcome will mean for the series.
This weekend’s Australian Grand Prix also marks the last one at Phillip Island, ahead of a controversial move to Adelaide in 2027.
The trio reflect on their highlights from Phillip Island’s rich MotoGP history and ponder what the decision to remove such an iconic venue from the calendar could mean for other such circuits.
The recent 2027 format announcement and news of fines for riders missing promotional events have kept the subject of a riders’ union in the spotlight.
But why can the riders not agree to one, and will it ever actually happy? That is another topic discussed on this week’s Crash MotoGP Podcast.
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Lewis joined the Crash.net team in August of 2024 having been a journalist for five years covering MotoGP for the Motorsport Network. In February of 2026, he became Head of Editorial.