Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli has admitted he’s been riding cautiously in the final rounds of the 2017 FIM MXGP World Championship as he endeavours to secure a ninth world title.

Cairoli had the opportunity to wrap up the premier class championship last weekend at the MXGP of USA, although his 3-2 results for third overall would see him fall five points shy of being crowned champion.

The Italian believes a mistake in the weekend’s 17th round proved to be costly in his campaign to lock up the title, and has acknowledged that his form has started drop in the closing stops on the calendar.

“I’m always happy to finish on the podium,” said Cairoli. “In a season like this it is important to be consistent and that’s what we have done – [it’s] one of my best seasons ever. I want to get the title as soon as possible because I have been riding a bit carefully in the last races – I don’t want to crash or break something.

“I did my best to close it today and I made a mistake but this is part of racing and also my condition is dropping a little bit since the beginning of the season whereas as Jeffrey is the opposite way and is in a good place.

“I am a fighter and always want to fight back. I hope I will make it in the next GP in Assen, which is a track I really like, and hopefully clinch the title in the first moto, and then after that have some good battles.”

The next round of the MXGP World Championship is scheduled for this weekend at Assen in The Netherlands, which will mark the penultimate round of the series.