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Scott Redding believes his “time is running out” to prove he should retain his Aprilia MotoGP seat, four races into his stint with the manufacturer.
Redding replaced Sam Lowes at Aprilia for 2018, after the team decided to terminate Lowes’ two-year deal early.
But the new signing has only scored five points from his first four races on the RS-GP and has been blighted by a recurring lack of grip.
Redding’s struggles were pronounced at last weekend’s Jerez round, where he qualified last and could only recover to 15th in an attrition-heavy race.
“It’s just [a matter of] time but my time is running out and I can’t put the result on the paper,” Redding said.
“I wish I could come in and say, ‘sorry guys, I was riding like an idiot, I was overriding, I wasn’t doing what I should be’.
“But I was riding to the best of my ability, I wasn’t overriding. I was making the lines right, trying to work with the tyre, trying to make it work with the mappings – but everywhere I go, [it] gets thrown back in my face.
“I wouldn’t say [I’m] under pressure, but I come in, give 110% and at home, at the track, I’ve really dedicated myself – and if it is not enough.
“At least I can turn back to myself and say ‘wow, you didn’t do it half-hearted’.
“That’s why it hurts when I can’t get the results because I’m really giving everything. There have been times where I’ve thought ‘OK, it is what it is’, but that ain’t the case now.
“You’ve got everybody signing [new deals], so everything is kind of going against me at the moment and I need to turn the current and go with it.”
Aprilia has not currently confirmed any riders for 2019 and is yet to extend its current agreement with programme operator Gresini over a MotoGP entry that runs out at the end of ’18.
Redding said he “can’t fault” the team’s effort and that he is aware of an expectation of results, with Aprilia currently last in both the teams’ and manufacturers’ standings amid his struggles and frequent technical problems for team-mate Aleix Espargaro.
“I know they are wanting results and something like [Jerez], I finish 15th because most of the field crashed, Aleix didn’t make a result… they are going to be looking for someone next year,” added Redding.
“I know I’m on that list but I need to show the performance and when the bike is not really helping me, it makes it hard.
“I will do the best I can until the last race of the season, even if they sign someone else, because that’s the person I am.
“Until then I need to get the benefit of the doubt, for them to see that I am working to make it.”
Aprilia is testing at Mugello today (Thursday) and on Friday, and Redding added he has a “big list of things” to try.