In training we had ed he settings and tyres for the race and we knew that even though Nicky`s pace at the beginning would not be very high, he would improve as the race went on. We thought it would be possible to reach the end of the race with a chance of fighting for the podium.
Concentrating more on the race set up than on the result in classification, Nicky was also capable of doing a good lap and classifying in fourth position.
Nicky felt obliged to win the race again and people thought that it was all sewn up. But not only did he not win he had to retire. He did so after fighting back in a race where on the third curve just after the start he was hit by Hopkins, blinded by the desire to do well in front of his home crowd.
Nicky was able to carry on after being hit but the engine was damaged a little and that stopped him from riding at the high pace set in the race. He tried, lap after lap fighting with riders that he would normally overtake without any problem. He even tried when he was fighting for just one point. He tried right up to the moment when the bike gave up because of the collision, with the handlebar bent, without the screen and the front brake damaged. But things got dangerous and much to his regret he decided to retire in front of his home crowd.
Once in the pits, with a few laps left, there was at least one consolation for Nicky, he saw on the monitors how his brother, Roger Lee, finished his first race in MotoGP in a magnificent position and knowing that he is going to have a chance to show what a great rider he is in Brno.
Without a doubt we will try again in Brno. Because races are like this, sometimes you win and other times you lose.
