Wolff: F1 and MotoGP staff who do not want to travel to the Middle East should not go

Toto Wolff says people in Formula 1 or MotoGP who do not want to travel to the Middle East should not go. He said he would respect any Mercedes employee who felt uncomfortable making the trip.

His comments come as MotoGP races in Qatar this weekend amid uncertainty linked to the Iran war. Most riders were reportedly opposed to taking part, while Yamaha's factory team has withdrawn entirely from the event. Wolff said he would have taken the same approach as MotoGP management; he also said riders speaking out had media value because of the audience they reach.

Formula 1's Qatar race is due later this month, followed by the season finale in Abu Dhabi on 6 December. F1 has said both races will go ahead in line with the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) travel advice. That advice did not advise against travel to the region, but urged travellers to take precautions and make alternative arrangements.

Wolff said he supported F1's reliance on international guidance, including travel restrictions, whether airlines are flying, regional warnings and feedback from local governments, not only the promoters. He said Stefano Domenicali was monitoring developments and would be the first, alongside Mohammed ben Sulayem, to protect those due to travel if the situation became more dangerous and they received such feedback.

Wolff said the matter had not been raised internally at Mercedes. He would respect an employee who did not feel comfortable travelling; someone else could be given the opportunity, he said, without affecting their relationship.