British MotoGP: Nicky Hayden gutted with another fourth

Nicky Hayden saw his hopes of a second podium finish for Ducati crushed by a crucial last lap mistake that consigned the American to yet another fourth place in yesterday’s British MotoGP race.

Hayden was a key player in a thrilling battle for second place as the 2006 world champion held fourth place between laps three and 16.

His charge to try and challenge Repsol Honda rider Andrea Dovizioso for second began on lap 17 when he passed the fast fading LCR Honda of Randy de Puniet.

Hayden tried his utmost to close in on 2009 British GP winner Dovizioso but a crucial mistake at the fast Abbey right-hander on the final lap handed the final podium spot to compatriot Ben Spies.

It was more late heartache for Hayden, who lost third on the last lap to Dovizioso in the season’s opening race at Qatar.

And his latest fourth place finish was his fourth in the opening five races.

Reflecting on another missed opportunity, Hayden said: “I didn’t get a great start and lost some positions but Dani (Pedrosa) is so hard to pass and once I got by him I closed that gap down.

“It sucked the race was for second but everybody was riding hard. On the last lap I thought I had a good shot at second. I was pushing to pass Dovi because I knew if I gave up anything then two or three would come by. 

“I just made a mistake at turn eleven. I lost the rear and then hit a bump and that let Ben through. It’s hard for me to dress this result up because I’m not happy to finish fourth again but the good thing is we were in the hunt again.”

Having made the mistake that let Spies through for his first premier class top three, Hayden said it was difficult to mount a counter attack on the reigning World Superbike champion.

He added: “Around the last corner it was hard because I’d never followed Ben in my life until the last half-a-lap.

“I had no idea where I was strong and I’ve never seen him in testing or nothing. It wasn’t like I was sitting on him and had a place worked out.”

Hayden was one of only three in the field to opt for Bridgestone’s hard compound rear tyre, but he said tyre choice had not been a factor in his failure to score a first podium since the Indianapolis race last August.

He said: “The difference between the two was really close. I used the hard tyre in the warm-up. All I had left was shagged soft tyres and it worked pretty good in the cold. So I thought if it worked that good in the cold I thought it would be good with the temperature up.”