Petronas Yamaha is targeting a MotoGP title fight with Fabio Quartararo this season, during what should be the Frenchman's final year befor🐠e step꧂ping up to the official Yamaha team in 2021.

But Sepang team director Razlan Razali has raised the ജprospect of Quartararo remaining at the satellite team for a further year, should the worst-case scenario occur and the entire 2020 MotoGP season be cཧancelled.

"We need to discuss what happens if the races don’t happen. We want to make it null and void this year and then continue 2021 like 2020 with the same arrangement," quotes Razali as saying. "I think that is something w🦹e will f🍒ight for."

He added: "The worst-case scenario is no championship [in which case] I would assume that i𓆉n 2021 everyone will revert to the 2020 arrangement, because we will insist and we will fight for Fabio to be with us in his final year [before joining the factory Ya꧃maha team].

"We are really looking forward to this year - because of what Fabio did last year, we've got him the full spec factory bi🌌ke🔯 like Rossi and Vinales and he's done really well in testing.

"So we know he can fight for the championship. In fact, our target for him is to come [at least] second, with a couple of wins. So we want that for the team and if the racing starts⛎ this year that is the target, whether it's a full season or minimum 10-13 races."

Assuming 🍨a 2020 seaso🅠n takes place in some shape or form, Razali will need to find a replacement for Quartararo in 2021 and also decide whether to retain team-mate Franco Morbidelli.

"We have a few riders we are eyeing right now," he said. "If Franco Morbidelli does well he could stay with us. If not, we are looking at Xavi Vierge from our Moto2 team to do somet💯hing special to get himself into our MotoGP team. We also have two-three riders we are monitoring in Moto2."

The biggest story surrounding Petronas for 𓂃2021 is whether Valentino Rossi will join the tea൲m, having been guaranteed a satellite seat by Yamaha should he decide to continue.

"Our principle still remains that we want young, talented riders," Razali said. "We all know about Valentino Rossi, Lorenzo w🍃ho want to join the team without formally discu🅷ssing with us...

"But for us our principle is that we want to develop young riders. We have a couple in mind,ܫ including Xavi Vierge."

Quartararo is one of only four riders that have so far signed for 2021🌳, alongside Maverick Vinales (Monster Yamaha),✤ Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) and Tito Rabat (Avintia Ducati).

There are also rumours those four may now need to 'renegotiate' some of the terms of their contracts with racing budgets set to be slashed in the aftermath of the coronavirus.🅺 Those still to sign will likewise be forced to low🎃er their salary expectations...