The riders were ready to leave for the formation lap when the rain suddenly appeared at Losail. Only a few minutes later, the race was practically unsustainable due to the high level of precipitations. All riders agreed it would be unsafe to go ahead with the scheduled race in such conditions, as they argued the artificial lights reflecting on the wet surface would become dangerous.
“After the arrival of a large storm we had to cancel the race as it was unsafe. The QMMF offered us the choice to run the race tomorrow, and as it was a very important decision we wanted to consult with all the team managers. The postponement was accepted by a large majority. This has been an extraordinary decision in extraordinary circumstances,” said Dorna's boss Carmelo Ezpeleta in a statement.
However, if the rain continues to give the Qatar organizers a headache on Monday, the series would have no other choice but to scrap the race completely. Under the circumstances, it's possible that Twin Ring Motegi (Japan) to become the site of this year's season opener for the Queen Class.
After meeting at mid-night (local time) to discuss the future events in Qatar, the circuit organizers – together with the MotoGP officials – have also decided to give the riders an extra warm-up session ahead of the rescheduled race. The session is due to start at 6.30 PM.
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