Pol🙈 Espargaro was satisfied with his pace on 🎃used tyres during the final MotoGP test of the year at Jerez, but the KTM rider could only go a few tenths faster with a new soft rear tyre.

That meant🐼 the Spaniard was just 17th onꩵ the overall timesheets (+1.199s), although still the top RC16 rider.

"With a used tyre, our pace is not bad, but we struggled to make a fast lap,"🃏 Espargaro confirmed.

"Qualifying is super important and it is in our mentality to improve in that area because we 💜are weak there."

Espargaro, who gave KTM its first MotoGP podium in the wet Valencia season finale, explaine♎d that he was close to the us𒁏ed-tyre pace of their rivals but unable to join them in the 1m 38s on new rubber.

"It’s strange because we can do high ‘39s as a rhythm, without risking a crash," he said. "I pushed for one lap and did a 39.4s, but then we put a new tyꦛre and I could not get beyond '39.1. With our rhythm we should be in '38.5-6, at least, on a new tyre."

A mid '38 would have put Espargaro tenth on the timesheets, around half-a-second from Honda's Takaaki Naka𝔉gami.

"We see that the Ducatis and other guys, when they want 🌃to push they can do a ‘38s middle or low, and a ‘39s middle or high is their rhythm. But we cannot do the same as them in one lap. We know w𝓡hy and we need to work on that."

The reason, Esparga✤ro said, is a lack of grip as the first touc൲h of the throttle is applied, with electronics a possible factor.

"I think we have a problem on the initial 20% of throttle," he said. "We are not sticking the soft rear tyre on the ground. We have seen some guys using the medium rear and we were not able to use it just because th💃is initial grip is not nice.

"This initial [throttle movement] is making ✨us spin, go to the kerbs too fast and not stay on the line we wish.

"When you put a newꦕ tyre, you are asking for this initial throttle grip, to try to turn the bike faster, to make more corner speed and take the throttle earlier tꦿo not spin at the end of the corner.

"So this is what we are concerned about."

Initial throttle grip was ju෴st one of many areas Espargaro w൲orked on during his final laps of 2018.

"We tried everything from 🙈tꦉhe bottom of the bike to the top!" he smiled.

"Also, because we are trying to improve so many areas, to do one fast lap was difficult, because the bi🦂ke is 'alive', it's changing a lot during all the day."

One of the most visible KTM developments was the use of a carbon-fibre 🔥rein𝕴forced swingarm.

However Espargaro had been well briefed on avoiding comment: "Yeah… we are worki🦄nꦍg on all the bike!"

A general area long targeted fꦫor iℱmprovement is the RC16's turning ability.

"We were trying different parameters in the engine that helped with the turning, also ꧑when the tyre grip drops a lot," Espargaro said.

"With the chassis🎀 we made some modifications which I think will be an improvement in the future and the swingarm also. The WP guys ♔have been working quite a lot with suspension and they have some ideas for the future."

Espargaro said he had👍 been working "iℱn different areas" compared to new team-mate Johann Zarco and, "now we need to mix our impressions and try to make a better bike" for 2019.

"I think in Valencia, Johann had some problems entering the corners and he has improved 🌠quite a lot in that area from what I heard. I’m happy about that," Espargaro added.

"We’ll have some meetings to see what areas Johann wants to🧸 work on as well, so we can work together to♒ improve this bike."

Espargaro, Zarco - plus the new Tech3 s🦋atellite KTM project with Hafizh Syahrin and Miguel Oliveira - will next be on track, alongside their 2019 rivals, at Sepang in F🌌ebruary.

However the KTM test team is set toও conduct its last track outing at Jerez in mid-December, when Dani Pedrosa is tipped to make his debut alongside Mika Kallio.