Dovizioso, Hayden: no animosity over last-corner MotoGP Indy clash
Ducati riders Nicky Hayden and Andrea Dovizioso say there is no animosity over their last-corner collision in the Indianapolis MotoGP race, despite Dovizioso saying Hayden's pass was 'not safe'

The duo spent most of the race battling for eighth and swapped positions repeatedly before making contact at the final bend on the last lap as Hayden tried to pass down the inside.
As both Ducatis bounced over the high kerbs and onto the venue's oval, Tech 3 Yamaha rider Bradley Smith was able to accelerate past them and steal eighth.
Hayden and Dovizioso were called to race direction afterwards but no action was taken.
Despite highlighting Hayden's 'aggressive' riding, Dovizioso said he preferred not to stoke controversy.
"He wanted to get by me at any cost, using a really aggressive manoeuvre," said the Italian.
"I didn't expect it because I hadn't left the door open.
"Nicky came beside me and we touched, and it certainly wasn't a safe move, but we can say it was a racing incident.
"We were called to race direction because of course it's important to talk about these things and immediately clear them up.
"Honestly, I'm quite annoyed to have lost two positions, and I also wanted to keep Smith behind me.
"Still, there's no sense in creating controversy in a situation like this, so for me it's over."
Hayden admitted the clash was his fault.

"We went back and forth a lot, and then in the last corner on the last lap, we had contact, which was my fault," he said.
"When the door started to close, I was already committed and didn't want him to take out my front wheel."
Ducati announced last month that it will drop Hayden at the end of 2013 after five seasons. Cal Crutchlow will be Dovizioso's new team-mate.

Previous article
Indianapolis MotoGP: Marc Marquez wins third straight race
Next article
Jorge Lorenzo fears Yamaha being outdone by Honda in MotoGP 2013

About this article
Series | MotoGP |
Drivers | Nicky Hayden , Andrea Dovizioso |
Teams | AB Motoracing |
Author | Matt Beer |
Dovizioso, Hayden: no animosity over last-corner MotoGP Indy clash
Trending
The "pit bull" MotoGP rookie already drawing legendary comparisons
MotoGP’s 2021 rookie crop is one of the strongest in recent years, but one is already standing out. Jorge Martin’s Doha GP heroics have courted many to compare him to numerous MotoGP legends. Autosport spoke to Pramac boss Francesco Guidotti to find out why MotoGP’s latest Spanish star is already making such an impact
Why MotoGP's stewards must revisit Miller and Mir's Losail clash
Despite Suzuki’s decision not to appeal against Race Direction’s refusal to penalise Jack Miller following the incident with Joan Mir in Losail, something must be done to avoid a repeat of such an incident, which could have easily ended in tragedy
Has Yamaha banished its demons with its 2021 MotoGP bike?
Against the expected run of play at Qatar's Losail circuit, both Yamaha riders Maverick Vinales and Fabio Quartararo carved through a resolute Ducati defence to secure back-to-back MotoGP wins for the Japanese marque. After a difficult 2020, it appears that Yamaha has swaggered back into championship contention
Why MotoGP’s top gun looks more dangerous at the Doha GP
Lightning hasn't struck twice for Maverick Vinales since 2017 and his wayward form of recent years makes predicting how he'll fare each MotoGP race weekend tricky. But fresh from his Qatar GP win, Vinales looks like an even more dangerous prospect for the Doha GP following an intriguing Friday practice
Why MotoGP’s new Amazon series is long overdue
OPINION: MotoGP is getting its own version of Drive to Survive on Amazon Prime at some point in the near future. It was news welcomed by the grid’s leading riders. And following the impact DTS has had on Formula 1, MotoGP desperately needs the same boost.
Did the Qatar GP hint at Ducati’s true MotoGP leader?
OPINION: Johann Zarco talked a big game pre-season, and is so far vindicating himself as a factory rider at Pramac after finishing the Qatar GP as top Ducati in second. And contrasting his and Jack Miller's weekends and their approaches, is Zarco emerging as Ducati's true MotoGP leader?
The key changes behind the latest 'return of the Mack'
Maverick Vinales’s authoritative victory at the MotoGP season opener came during a period of personal and professional change for the Yamaha rider. Can it be the springboard for a title challenge?
The past clues which hint at the MotoGP order in Qatar
The MotoGP season kicks off this weekend in Qatar - two years after it last visited the Losail circuit for a race weekend as last season's round was called off. As ever, the pecking order is difficult to map out at this early stage of the season, but perhaps the 2019 race offers some clues as to how things might shake out...