Nakagami: P7 'nothing', 'great opportunity to win'

Takaaki Nakagami was left feeling 'so disappointed' after yet another MotoGP podium chance, and possible victory opportunity, slipped through his fingers in Catalunya on Sunday.

Despite being held up by the Ducati of Francesco Bagnaia in the closing stages, the pair were the fastest riders on track - quicker than even the Suzukis - and catching race winner Fabio Quartararo by one-second a lap.

But it was 'too late'.

Bagnaia and LCR's Nakagami crossed the finish line together in sixth and seventh places, less than one second from Alex Rins and a podium, while 3.5s behind Quartararo.

"At the beginning I didn't have a strong pace. I was a bit slow, especially the first 3 laps. Maybe I saved the tyre too much. I have to improve this because I lose too much at the beginning. Later I could do 1'40, but it was too late," confessed Nakagami, who has a best MotoGP finish of fourth place.

"I was really fast. I was able to keep the lap time, and the top guy was dropping a lot. I knew I had the possibility to get a good result. At the end of the race, I was absolutely the fastest rider, because I still had quite a lot of grip on the rear.

"But I was behind a Ducati once again and I couldn't overtake. I was so fast mid-corner, but they have to stop mid-corner and then I lose on acceleration, so I couldn't overtake. I had no chance to try.

"I was very disappointed because I was only 3.5 seconds from the top. I think we had a great opportunity to win the race. But P7 for me is nothing.

"I'm so disappointed. I cannot explain how I feel and how disappointed I am. I will try to improve, to be stronger in a group and in the battle, because like this we never get a podium.

"It's difficult to be positive at the moment."

Nakagami, seventh, is the only Honda rider in the top 15 of the world championship standings.