Quartararo has "nothing to lose" in face of MotoGP title defeat

The reigning world champion trails Ducati's Francesco Bagnaia by 14 points coming to Sepang this weekend, with the latter needing to outscore Quartararo by 11 points to wrap up the title with one round to spare.

Quartararo comes off the back of three non-scores in four races having crashed out of last weekend's Australian GP, while the Sepang circuit's layout looks set to work against the underpowered Yamaha package.

Looking ahead to this weekend's Malaysian GP, Quartararo says he will approach it differently and take more risks on bike set-up to now he is on the back foot in the title race.

"Last races I didn't enjoy so much, but right now I'm in a position where I don't really need to think about anything," Quartararo said on Thursday at Sepang.

"Just [I need to] push myself to the limit. I think it's of course a different mentality, and I will of course make this GP in a different mood.

"I have the feeling I have nothing to lose right now in this moment.

"So, of course I will approach the race, putting myself on the limit from the beginning of the weekend, trying to make some changes on the bike. When we go to a new track we feel super-good on the track and we never touch anything.

"Now I think it's the moment that even if you feel good to make improvements in some areas. I think it's a different situation as the previous ones."

Fabio Quartararo, Yamaha Factory Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Quartararo does take solace in the fact that Bagnaia leads the championship having overturn a 91-point deficit prior to the summer break, noting that this proves the title is still to play for.

"Of course it's not over," he added. "He did it, we can do it. So, like I said, I think of course the second half of the season has been horrible.

"But we can make it turn and try to really perform during these last two races."

PLUS: The final weapon Quartararo has to save his crumbling MotoGP title hopes

Quartararo led the championship from the fifth round of the season in Portugal through to Australia, at one stage holding an advantage of 34 points.

Yamaha test rider and RNF Racing stand-in Cal Crutchlow says the fact Quartararo that led the championship as strongly as he did for so long is "incredible".

"He doesn't give up, that's for sure," Crutchlow said of Quartararo.

"I speak with Fabio as a friend, but also somebody who works for him, and he's not giving up. It's just a difficult moment and what he is doing on the bike is above what the bike is capable of.

"He can't do any more than he's doing. Yeah, he made a mistake last week. But we haven't seen him make many mistakes. He's just either been unlucky or the situation has not been great.

"To even be leading the championship like he was is already incredible. But he knows how to ride round here and I think he can have a good race. We need the others to not have a good race, that's the thing."