Hayden frustrated to miss podium

The Ducati rider engaged in a huge scrap with compatriot and coming man Ben Spies on the privateer Tech 3 Yamaha, and while fourth was representative of Hayden's stronger form this season, he said losing third position on the last lap of the race left a bitter taste - especially as it was the fourth time this season he had narrowly missed out on a top three spot.

"It's pretty frustrating you know," said Hayden. "In Jerez and Qatar I could dress it up and put a positive spin on it but today that's certainly not the case. We are not satisfied.

"With [Valentino] Rossi out and Dani [Pedrosa] having a bad day... the team tried hard, we did everything we could, rode hard, but some days that just ain't good enough.

"It's supposed to make you mad."

Hayden said that he had enjoyed dicing with Spies as well as Randy de Puniet and second-placed finisher Andrea Dovizioso, who he said he was chasing until the flag.

"It was for second but all the guys were riding hard," he said. "Everybody gave each other some room and on the last lap I thought I had a good shot at second.

"Ben came past me into Turn 7, I got him back then I made a mistake, I got into 11 a little bit hot, lost the rear and went over that bump.

"It was hard because I had never followed Ben in my life, until the last half of the last lap. I had no idea where I was strong. We've never ridden together. So it wasn't like I was sitting on him and had a place picked out."

Hayden added that while he found it difficult to pull out of the draft on his Ducati GP10, he knew he had a fast race bike, even though he chose to use the hard tyre.

"When I passed de Puniet I closed the gap down to Dovizioso," he said. "I closed that gap down so I felt like maybe I could pass him. I know he is strong on the brakes. The Honda is running pretty good, they have got a strong engine. When you follow him you can see it.

"I was pushing to pass Dovi. I could hear that whole group behind me and there are a couple of slow corners here. I knew if I gave up anything two or three would come past"

Hayden added that he was not surprised to see Spies take his first MotoGP podium.

"Before the season started, I know he played it down, but I predicted podiums for Ben," he said. "The Yamaha, we've seen today with Lorenzo, what a package it is. He rode good and deserved it. I can't make an excuse for that and I'm not surprised at all."