In rival marque KTM's first season in the premier class, the MotoGP paddock has been amazed by the amount of resources the Austrian firm is investing in its project - highlighting the difference with Aprilia, which returned to MotoGP in 2015 in a tie-up with Gresini.

Just 11 points separate the two manufacturers in the standings with six rounds remaining.

The season started in a strong way for Aprilia, as Espargaro matched the Noale-based firm's best-ever MotoGP finish in the very first race of the year in Qatar, coming home sixth.

However, since then, the RS-GP has been plagued by unreliability, with the Spaniard's fifth non-finish of the season coming at Silverstone last month due to an engine problem.

It is evident that the expectations raised by Aprilia during the winter haven’t been met. But for Espargaro, the most important thing is to look forward to 2018 and allocate the necessary resources for moving up the grid.

“Now it’s the moment for Aprilia to show what they are able to do in MotoGP," Espargaro told Motorsport.com. "We are very close to Yamaha, Honda and Ducati. Now we have to give everything or quit.

"What is clear is we can’t stay competing half-heartedly. Next season must be taken seriously because we have a chance to progress.

"In 2018 Aprilia has to demonstrate what is able to do because if not, this project makes no sense. KTM and the other manufacturers are investing a lot.

“The factory is working hard, and we cannot ask them to be at the same level of Honda, Yamaha and Ducati in two or three years.

"Nonetheless, we have to pull ourselves together, as it will be very difficult to fight against them with a much weaker bike."

Translation by Irene Aneas