Ben Spies looked to be in with aꦦ fighting chance of his first MotoGP podium of the season, as he slotted into third on the opening lap of Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix.

But the Factory Yamaha rider speared off-track at the start of the second lap, crossing the turn one gravel trap and then falling after contact with th𒅌e tyre barrier, ending his ♈race.

T🍷he team believes the Texan's brakes had already overheated.

"I'm inc♋redibly frustrated with today's result," said Spies, who has now suffered incidents in all three of his Motegi appearances.

"We've known all weekend that the brakes could b🌜e an issue due to the tough nature of the track but I did not expect tꩵo have trouble on the second lap.

"The team has worked really hard all weekend and we've deli🌸vered podium pace with the b🅺ike so it's not the result we deserve.

"We'll go to Sepang now and try to put this b🥃ehind us and hopefully have a trouble-free weekend."

Yamaᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚha team director Massimo Meregalli said that the data confirmed Spies had not done anything differently at the first turn🎀.

♊"Ben had an issue with the brakes on the 🔴second lap of the race," he said.

"The warm-up lap and lap🌳 one of the race went relatively smoothly but then on the secꦜond lap he was not able to stop the bike.

"Data does not show anything different 💞on that corner compared with previous practice𒐪s."

Spies' fifth non-score of the season leaves h𒁏i𝔍m tenth in the standings.

Team-mate and title leader Jorge Lorenzo finished second at Motegi𒐪.