Spies says engine failure ruined realistic chance of MotoGP victory at Indianapolis

Spies had moved to the front of the field in the opening stages and then fended off one challenge from Honda's Dani Pedrosa, before finally succumbing to the Spaniard on lap four.

The Yamaha rider kept him honest however until his engine blew on the main straight just two laps later, allowing Pedrosa to cruise to a dominant victory and leaving Spies to bemoan another stroke of bad luck which he felt cost him a shot at victory in his home race.

"It's my third mechanical [failure] this season, I think someone owes me money for that. My luck has been crap," Spies reflected.

"I was really banged up yesterday, I gave it 100 per cent but for whatever reason it happened.

"The bike felt good, and I felt good off the start. I could tell Dani was using a lot more rear tyre than I was, and in the last few years [at Indianapolis] he came back towards me.

"Over 28 laps I think we had a shot to win. For sure the podium was possible because I could already see the gaps. But then on my last lap the bike started slowing severely and went kaboom on the straight. I moved over straight away so it wouldn't affect Jorge or anyone else."

Spies remains 10th in the championship as a result of his failure, having failed to finish either of MotoGP's two US races.