Iannone puzzled by crash that cost Ducati Qatar MotoGP victory bid

Iannone started fourth and having moved up to second at the start, exploited Ducati's top-speed advantage to breeze past polesitter Jorge Lorenzo and take the lead at the start of the second lap.

Team-mate Andrea Dovizioso followed him through, and they kept Lorenzo at bay until they started sparring on lap six, with Iannone losing the front end at Turn 13.

"I touched the white line and crashed," he said.

"This is really strange, I don't know [why]. I have a different line, and when I touched the white line I went down.

"I checked on the data and everything is the same, but you look at the image on television and it's clear I touched the white line.

"Usually the white line has grip, but this time it's very, very slippery.

"This is the racing life, but for sure I am a little bit disappointed about this experience.

"For me, it's really difficult to accept this.

"I am sure it was possible to fight with Jorge, and with me, the race for sure the race is completely different."

The Ducatis had a near miss earlier in the lap, when Dovizioso moved down the inside at Turn 1.

Iannone employed a switchback and beat his team-mate to the apex, and while Dovizioso had to check to avoid contact, he found a way past before Iannone crashed later in the lap.

"I wanted to stay in front, and he wanted to stay in front of me, but no problem, it's the race," he added.

"I had a harder strategy and he had another strategy, so it's normal."

Valentino Rossi, who finished fourth, felt the Ducati pair could have finished first and second, if not for Iannone's exit.

"I think if Iannone doesn't crash, they stay there until the end," he surmised.