Sam Lowes’ personal manager Roger Burnett has told bikesportnews.com that a seat alongside Franco Morbidelli is the priority now that Aprilia has decided not to honour the 27-year-old’s deal.

Lowes will be replaced by Scott Redding in the Noale team next season as Aprilia decided Lowes wasn’t up to the job after half a season - a decision that only became apparent yesterday.

“Marc VDS is our priority and we also like Michael Bartholemy and how he runs the team. There is a family atmosphere but also a northern European organization so it suits Sam very well because he needs tough and strong team management. The human side is also so important for a rider to give his maximum,” Burnett told BSN at the Red Bull Ring.

“Sam has been much left alone in the team. Since Mugello, Aprilia is speaking with so many riders and Sam learnt about this, which put unnecessary pressure on him. I think it has been totally unfair. Now that the situation is clear we are, in a way, relieved because we can look for other options.”

Burnett believes Lowes has been doing a good job on a bike that is far from the rounded package other rookies like Johann Zarco are riding.

“We are halfway through the season or just a little bit more and Sam is not doing bad. Of course, it could be better but If we look at the lap times, Austria FP2 for example, he finished only six-tenths behind his team mate,” continued Burnett.

Burnett went on to say that after the Marco Melandri debacle, Aprilia contracts have a break clause and that team boss Romano Albesiano had a window between August 10 and 15 to invoke it - so he did.