Motorcycling-MotoGP postpones Qatar Grand Prix due to Middle East conflict

March 15 (Reuters) - The Qatar Grand Prix scheduled for next month has been postponed to November due to the conflict in the Middle East, MotoGP announced on Sunday.

The Lusail International Circuit was set to host the fourth round of the 2026 championship from April 10-12 but it has now been rescheduled for November 8, organisers said in a statement.

The U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran have affected countries throughout the Gulf, disrupting travel in some of the world's busiest transit hubs and forcing several sporting events to be cancelled.

"MotoGP confirms that the Qatar Grand Prix, originally scheduled for April, has been postponed to November 8 due to the ongoing geopolitical situation in the Middle East," the statement said.

"Following extensive scenario planning and calendar analysis, the revised date has been chosen to ensure minimal disruption to the wider MotoGP schedule."

The Portuguese Grand Prix will now take place on November 22 and the season finale in Valencia will move to November 29, organisers added.

Aprilia's Marco Bezzecchi leads the championship after the first round in Thailand. The next two races will be held in Brazil (March 20-22) and the United States (March 27-29).

The conflict has also affected Formula One , with the sport announcing on Saturday races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia would not take place in April.