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

Despite being held up by the Ducati of Francesco Bꦬagnaia 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 an🅘d 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 a𓃲 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 cou🌠ld 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, an♓🎃d 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 chanc🌱e to try.

"I was very disappointed because I❀ was only 3.5 seconds from the top. I think we had a great opportuni🌃ty 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 improve൲, 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 Honꦰda rider in the top 15 of the world championship standings.