KTM's Motorsport Director Pit Beirer believes the Austrian marque's target for the 2018 season should be top five results, after a strong end to its maiden MotoGP campaign last year.
The Austrian manufacturer launched its first full factory effort in the premier class last season having most recently been involved in MotoGP as engine supplier for Kenny Roberts' outfit for a short spell in 2005.
Despite beginning the year well over three seconds off the pace of the leading factories, KTM's rapid rate of development – which included the introduction of a new engine and many chassis updates – enabled the operation to close that gap to just under a second by the final round in Valencia.
Pol Espargaro, Bradley Smith and test rider Mika Kallio – who made four wildcard appearances in 2017 – scored 94 points between them, netting KTM fifth in the manufacturers' standings, ahead of Aprilia.
With eight top 10 finishes during the second half of the year, Beirer sees no reason why KTM cannot aim for regular top five finishes this season.
“Our first year in MotoGP was definitely better than we expected,” Beirer told motogp.com.
“We wanted to step in, do a good job and make a good base. Of coarse, we had huge respect from all our competitors and the whole world championship, so we concentrated on doing a proper job for the future; not even looking at the results.
“Looking back now, we are happy with the results because we started the first practice in Qatar 3.5 seconds off the pace and a second slower than the second-to-last bike on the grid.
“During the season, we were able to bring the gap to below one second, and we had many top ten results and got quite a few grand prix points, so overall we are quite happy with the first year.
“From the second half of last season we had eight top ten results. So the next milestone should be to bring home top five.
“I'm not saying this for the championship, but I think this should be possible during the season.”
Espargaro and Smith will remain with the team for 2018, despite rumours midway through last season that the latter's place was uncertain. Kallio will make five race appearances this year as a wildcard.
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