MotoGP 2017: Aleix Espargaro upset with treatment by Suzuki

Suzuki re-entered MotoGP last year with Espargaro and fellow Spaniard Maverick Vinales, the pair finishing 11th and 12th in the championship.

The Japanese manufacturer has taken a major step forward this year and Vinales - fifth in the points, one spot ahead of Espargaro - has impressed enough to secure a move to Yamaha to replace the Ducati-bound Jorge Lorenzo.

While Espargaro has signalled his desire to stay with Suzuki and reiterated on Thursday that it is his "priority", he is unhappy that Iannone was signed to replace Vinales before his contract was sorted.

"Two weekends ago at Mugello was quite difficult for me, where I realised that I was not as important to Suzuki as I thought," he said.

"After Mugello, we started to work to maybe to move to another place, we still think about it, because I'm not sure if I will continue with Suzuki.

"Things are like this, I will try to go somewhere that they really love me, that they really want me, and for me this is the most important thing.

"Even in sixth place in the championship, [Suzuki] don't really show good interest.

"This is what I don't really like, I am really upset in this sense."

The 26-year-old feels he deserves more credit for Suzuki's progress since returning to the premier class.

"I'm really grateful to Suzuki because they really trusted me two years ago, gave me the opportunity to be a factory rider for the first time," he said.

"But I feel upset more than angry, because two years ago the bike was not working, the bike was very slow, they have worked very hard, but also I have worked very hard.

"Suzuki is a big brand and they need to look for the best thing for them.

"For the moment, there's nothing I can do."

NEXT STOP APRILIA? WSBK?

With confirmation that his brother Pol will move to KTM next year, Aprilia would be Espargaro's only other option for a factory ride outside Suzuki.

Aprilia has already signed British Moto2 star Sam Lowes as one of its 2017 riders, and Espargaro confirmed its second seat is "one of the options we have", before suggesting he could even leave MotoGP altogether.

"We still need to decide, everything happened really, really quickly," he said.

"We stared to talk at Mugello with different teams, we have different options, also we have two very good options in Superbikes.

"The most important thing is I will go somewhere where they really show me that they really want me, and that I am an important piece for them."