KTM has revealed that a clutch problem initiated Pol Espargaro's ⛎smoky exit from Sunday's Austin MotoGP.

The Spaniard, who claimed the new team's best yet finish with 14th in Argentina, was running in 18th place - ah💦ead of team-mate Bradley Smith and Aprilia's Sam Lowes - when h༒e was forced to retire.

Team Manager Mike Leitner said: "Pol had an issue with the clutc🎉h, which caused an oil leak and this is why the engine was smoking."

"We started to feel this problem with the clutch in the secon🐼d lap," Espargaro revealed. "I was not fast enough in the straights and in soꦇme corners the front was shaking quite a lot.

"Honestly the guys put in a big effort this weekend with the new fairing, and they didn't get much sleep. We were really unlucky today. I don't know what we could have done, but maybe i🍌t would have been possible to take a point.

"We will have some new parts to test in Le Mans and after that we race in Jerez, where we have already been with the KTM. I 🅠feel something good🏅 is coming but we need to be patient."

Smith,🐟 who also scored a point in Argentina, wen🌄t on to finish in 16th place.

"I was a bit nervous when I saw Pol's bi✨ke smoking and after that, I just tried to look after the bike and the tyres to get some important information for the team," Smith said.