Wolff backs MotoGP's handling of calendar dissent

Mercedes Formula 1 boss Toto Wolff has backed MotoGP's handling of its Qatar Grand Prix amid rider discontent, ahead of F1's own planned races in the region.

While F1 has gathered at Interlagos for the Brazilian Grand Prix, MotoGP is competing at Qatar's Lusail circuit on the same weekend - with 16 of the 22 full-time riders (and two injury replacements) in action.

This followed several secret and unofficial votes between the MotoGP riders, in which the majority had voted against holding a Qatar race due to fears of conflict escalation in the Middle East.

In the end, though, only the Yamaha riders - those representing the factory team and the satellite team Pramac - are absent from the Qatar GP without replacement.

Yamaha announced last Sunday that it "had not identified sufficient grounds to change its existing company-wide travel restrictions" to send its teams to Qatar, a decision that was met with "disappointment" and suggestion of "sporting consequences" from MotoGP.

The series emphasised it did not "receive any information that would warrant a change to the current plans for the event" after consultation with Qatar, the track and "independent safety advisors".

As for the riders present in Qatar, some have taken a more conciliatory stance over the handling of the event, but others have maintained a more confrontational tone.

Notably, seven-time series champion Marc Marquez said in the pre-event press conference: "I would like to be in another place. For that reason I arrive on the latest flight possible, and I will leave on the earliest flight possible."

F1 has two races scheduled in the region - November 29's Qatar GP, and December 6's Abu Dhabi GP.

And when asked at Interlagos whether his understanding of the situation with those races was being informed with MotoGP racing at Qatar this weekend, Wolff offered an extensive answer that backed MotoGP's approach and questioned what the riders have shared publicly.

"Stefano [Domenicali, F1 boss] and Mohammed [Ben Sulayem, FIA president] have been pretty clear about the situation, that Formula 1 follows what the international guidelines are, whether there's travel restrictions, airlines not flying, any warnings in the region, the kind of feedback that local governments are making - so not only the promoters, but what the local governments are making. And this is what you need to rely on, in my opinion," Wolff said.

"And I'm fully with that. I think that if riders stand up, that geopolitically know nothing about what's going on but [they] have the audience that listens, I think that is something that creates media value [headlines] - but I would have done the same that MotoGP management has done.

"You want to ride, or drive, go. If you don't want to, don't go. As simple as that.

"And everybody can take their personal decisions on that, and I respect it. Of course, you've got to be wary of what's happening in the next few days, or few weeks.

"And Stefano has the finger on the pulse to monitor that. If things were to get more dangerous, then he's going to be the first one, together with Mohammed, to protect the people that were meant to travel. And so that's why I'm following the guidance of what I'm hearing.

"Internally it hasn't been raised, hasn't been a topic. But also there, if someone feels he or she doesn't feel comfortable in travelling, then it's something that I would always respect.

"And maybe that's an opportunity to give somebody else a chance.

"It wouldn't change anything for the relationship. I've always respected that, that some people didn't want to go to certain grands prix. And that's how I see it at the moment." - Val Khorounzhiy

Crunch time for F1 calendar

Wolff’s comments come ahead of a crunch week for Formula 1 when it comes to defining how the 2026 season will end.

For a while now, Imola has been getting its venue ready as a fallback option in case the final Middle Eastern races cannot happen.

However, it is now at the point where it needs to commit to the final major preparations or abandon its work because the races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi are happening.

It is understood that F1 has set itself a deadline of next Tuesday (November 10) to make a final call on what to do with the Imola event.

If by then it is satisfied that the Middle Eastern races are good to go, then Imola can be stood down.

That call means, however, that if after that date tensions escalate in the Middle East and the races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi have to be halted, then it means Imola will not be able to host any more – which means the season would finish in Las Vegas.

While the situation in the Middle East remains unpredictable, F1 teams retain faith that no "risks" will be taken in the final call.

Aston Martin chief trackside officer Mike Krack said that despite team personnel asking more questions about what was happening, there was confidence in F1’s senior management.

Speaking on Thursday at Interlagos, Krack said: “Now, I discussed it at length with Andy [Stevenson, sporting director] this morning, and we think, we are really convinced, that F1 is not taking any unnecessary risk.

“They are aware of the situation, they have much better information than we have. And I think if there is a serious risk, I think they will take the correct action.

“I think at the moment they are still evaluating that situation, and I’m sure they have set themselves some deadlines, which we have not gone over yet. So, I think we need to give them the time to do that. But I would be really surprised if they take risks.” - Jon Noble