A🍰leix Espargaro says the deficit Aprilia has against Ducati over the course of a grand prix distance in MotoGP is “shocking” in 2024.

After a strong start to the current 🍸campaign, with Maverick Vinales winning the Americas Grand Pr🦩ix, Aprilia has found itself struggling for strong results in Sunday races.

The RS-GP remains quick in quali💮fying trim and is a regular to the podium in sprint races still - with Espargaro third in the previous two S🍃aturday contests.

But over t๊he course of a grand prix, the Aprilia struggles to preserve its rear tyre relative to the Ducati and has found itself tumbling backwards in Sunday races.

In Austria, top Apri💞lia w🧔as 21.206s off the race leader, while in Britain it was 9.514s adrift.

This weekend’s Aragon GP represents a good opportunity for Aprilia to fight for the podi𒁏um, having beꦬen strong at the circuit even during its uncompetitive years with the RS-GP.

On 🌺MotoGP’s last visi🀅t to Aragon, Espargaro was third behind Francesco Bagnaia and race winner Enea Bastianini.

However, while he sees potentꦰial for a good result, he noted that Aprilia’s strong point in the 2022 Aragon GP is the ♑area it is now struggling the most with.

“I would love to be positive, but I don’t have really a lot of arguments,” he said when asked on Thursday at Aragon if A💖prilia can have a good weekend.

“We aꦚre working hard. The last time we raced here our strongest point was the s𝓰econd part of the race, but this year we still are not able to understand why - we are working in it - in the second part of the race we destroy the tyre more.

“Ducati, it’s unbelievable how fast tꦬhey can b𒁃e in the second part of the race and we cannot.

“So, we are fast in the 🥃qualifying, fast in the sprint, but unfortunately we are missing the last laps of the Sunday race. So, hopefully we can understand something𝔉 this weekend.”

Esparga🔜ro added: “Hopefully also Sunday [we can fight for a podium].

“I will try my best. The last two sprints we were fighting and finished on the 🐷ಞpodium.

“Hopefully here we can🦂 do the same. We know we🔯 can be fast on the soft tyre, but for me and the team it’s really important to understand what we are missing for the Sunday.

“It’s really shocking to arrive on Sunday wit🦩h similar pace to the top guys and then finish 10 seconds [behind] in the end🌠 of the race.

“We have to work hard, we have to understand why. But yes, this is a good opportunity. Thi💮s is a good track for Aprilia and for ꦆmyself.”