MotoGP title leader Jorge Lorenzo suffered his worst result of the 2010 season at Indianapolis on Sunday - third place!
The Fiat Yamaha star, winner of seven races this season, had qualified second but was shuffled back to fifth at the end of lap one.
The Spaniard overtook Ducati's Nicky Hayden on lap three, then Honda's Andrea Dovizioso on lap twelve, but could make no impression on satellite Yamaha rider Ben Spies or Repsol Honda race winner Dani Pedrosa.
"I must not be disappointed, but I'm not happy with my race. I didn't ride so well," said Lorenzo.
Lorenzo blamed a bad start, and lack of straight-line speed for his worst result.
"I didn't make a good start, and I lost two or three positions. And then after my bike wasn't so quick on the straight and it was like I was riding a 250 bike. I lost a lot of metres on the straight."
Indeed, if Dovizioso hadn't made a mistake, Lorenzo thinks he would not have been able to pass.
"I got a chance to overtake Dovizioso because he make a mistake in the last corner and he make a wheelie," said Lorenzo. "I got a perfect exit in the last corner and I overtook him in the first corner. But apart from this mistake, I don't think I could pass Andrea."
As well as lacking top speed, Lorenzo seemed to suffer more than most in the searing heat, which hit 56 degrees on the track surface.
The 23-year-old had to sit down after arriving in parc ferme, instead of taking part in the usual TV interviews.
"Of course the heat doesn't help anybody to ride a bike, but especially I lost a little bit my training during these two last weeks," he revealed. "I guess in Malaysia the heat is worse, but today I'm more tired than in Malaysia."
"These were terribly hard conditions for the riders and considering this we have to be very happy with third," insisted team manger Wilco Zeelenberg. "It was so hot and so easy to make a mistake so before the race we told Jorge to just try to bring it home on two wheels."
Lorenzo, yet to officially sign a new Yamaha contract that will see him partner Spies next season, now holds a 68 points lead over Indy winner Dani Pedrosa.
Team-mate Valentino Rossi finished fourth.
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