MotoGP sporting director Carlos Ezpeleta has commented for the first time on the situation surrounding Yamaha and the possible sanctions the Japanese manufacturer may face because of its decision not to participate in the Qatar Grand Prix.
The company from Iwata announced its intention to skip the 20th round of the season shortly after the finish of the race in Malaysia. The tense situation in the Middle East, as well as an internal company policy that prohibits business travel to such regions, were cited as the main reasons for this decision.
MotoGP management reacted quickly and warned that Yamaha could be sanctioned for breaching its commercial agreement with the championship. For now, however, it remains unclear exactly what consequences the Japanese brand will face.
Ezpeleta clarified that the matter is commercial in nature and that talks between the two sides are forthcoming. He stressed that the terms of the agreement cannot be discussed publicly, and that any possible decision will be officially announced.
„This concerns a commercial agreement whose terms we cannot discuss publicly. We will hold talks with Yamaha and if any decision is made as a result of them, it will be officially announced.
As of today, our relationship with them is entirely commercial. As we have always stated, we neither wish to interfere in nor participate in matters of a sporting nature. Those fall under the remit of the FIM,“ Espargaro told the media in Qatar.
This leaves open the question of whether Yamaha will face only contractual sanctions or whether a sporting penalty will also be imposed. The latter, however, falls entirely within the powers of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), rather than the MotoGP organisers.
Interestingly, Yamaha’s absence from the race weekend in Qatar was not complete. The Pramac satellite team continued its participation in Moto2, while the team’s garages in the premier class had been prepared and motorcycles were present in them. Nevertheless, the team’s riders, mechanics and engineers were not present at the circuit.