The Qatar Grand Prix at Lusail faces the prospect of a substantially depleted MotoGP starting field, with the grid potentially dropping to just 13 riders. Alongside Yamaha's official withdrawal, physical injuries and fitness concerns affecting multiple championship competitors have created severe shortages across the paddock. Of the 22 regular riders on the premier-class roster, five are already confirmed absent and another four remain in doubt. Should every doubtful competitor miss the event and teams decline to call up substitute riders, the race will proceed with only 13 participants.
Yamaha's decision not to take part in the grand prix accounts for four vacant entries across the factory outfit and satellite squad Pramac. Factory riders Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins will miss the round as a direct consequence of the Japanese manufacturer's withdrawal. Pramac rider Jack Miller is likewise barred from competing in Lusail under Yamaha's corporate call, having notably stood out as one of the few competitors to publicly voice opposition to travelling to Qatar. Toprak Razgatlioglu was already unavailable following surgery for an earlier injury, but his entry is equally encompassed by Yamaha's absence. In prior rounds, Razgatlioglu had been replaced by Augusto Fernández.
Although Pramac will be absent from the MotoGP category, the team maintains an active presence in Moto2. Pramac will field Alberto Ferrandez alongside title contender Izan Guevara, who sits just 3.5 points behind standings leader Manuel González. The premier class loses an additional confirmed entry through Gresini Ducati rider Alex Márquez, who will miss the entire weekend to undergo a surgical operation to remove a plate from his collarbone. The target for Márquez is to return at Portimão or, in a worst-case scenario, at Valencia.
Uncertainty surrounds four other regular competitors who are attempting to pass medical checks ahead of Lusail. HRC rider Joan Mir retired after roughly ten laps during the previous race at Sepang due to a return of vision problems that had previously forced him to miss several rounds. Mir's presence in Qatar remains dependent on upcoming medical evaluations scheduled to take place over the coming days.
Aprilia competitor Jorge Martín continues to rehabilitate a fractured wrist suffered during the Phillip Island Sprint. The injury forced Martín to halt his participation during the Malaysian Grand Prix weekend after attempting to ride through the second free practice session (FP2). Trackhouse racer Raúl Fernández sat out Malaysia after fracturing the index finger on his right hand in Indonesia. While Fernández's return in Qatar is not yet confirmed, both he and Martín have stated that their objective is to be present.
Gresini's Fermín Aldeguer underwent surgery for a fracture to his right hand, which ruled him out of both Phillip Island and Malaysia, with his potential comeback still under evaluation. Iker Lecuona served as Aldeguer's substitute in those earlier events, but it is not yet confirmed whether Lecuona will be summoned again to replace either Aldeguer or Alex Márquez if needed. With five confirmed withdrawals and four riders facing fitness questions, Qatar risks staging one of the most reduced starting fields of the season.
Related reading: Qatar MotoGP Grid Faces Potential Record Low Amid Absences and Injury Doubts.
