Aleix Espargaro's home🐬 Spanish MotoGP lasted just five corners before his Aprilia suffered a major technical p♏roblem for the third time in this season's four races.

While fuel issues had left him without points in the opening two rounds, before a tenth place at the RS-GP's wꦛorst circuit of COTA, a 'loose screw on the pneumatic system' undid his chances at Jerez.

A🦄dding to Espargaro's anguish was that he had the pace to 'easily' fight for the RS-GP's debut podium, in a race that saw Jorge Lorenzo, Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso eliminated from second, third ♚and fourth.

"It’s difficult to say something," he admitted. "I felt really good in the firᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚst f🐻ive corners. The bike had a lot of grip. Just a few riders in front used the hard front tyre – it was the right decision. It was very good.

"After the disaster at the front [between Pedrosa, Lorenzo and Dovizioso], I think w𒐪e were able to fight easy for the podium𒁏. Easy.

"This morning I did 25 laps with the rear tyre and I managed to stay in the 1m 39s low. I’m sure that I was able to ꦛstay in the 39s during the race and the podium gu🎶ys were lapping in the 40s by lap five.

"I’m not even angry, I’m just disappointed. Four rওaces and three DNFs… I’m a really positive guy but I don’t know how to find more energy to be posi♏tive."

The Spaniard added: "I’m really down because I feel better than ever in my riding. Sincerely I’m not a guy who always speaks about bullsh🏅it, but I feel that I’m stronger than ever. I don’t think that many riders are faster than me on track. I just need to have the bike and I feel that I can be in front.

"With A꧂prilia I feel I can be very competitive, even if we 🃏don’t have the best bike. I feel we can fight for the top five, top six every race.

"But we always have some problems with fuel consumption or the bike stops or whatever. It makes my life very, very difficult and I also need to finish races to try to ꦺimprove a bit more my riding style."

Espargaro has been assured that Aprilia will be taking measures to get oꦉn top of tꩲhe reliability nightmare.

"I know that Aprilia guys are also very upset," he said. "They promised me there is going to be a reꦕvolution in Noale this week, to try and find the problem. I believe in them. I really do.

"I feel a personal mis𝔉sion to put the RS🍸-GP on the podium."

Team-mate Scott Redding finished 15th at Jerez and Apr♉ilia have now dropped behind KTM to last in the constructors championship.