Petronas Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi claimed his best result of the MotoGP season during the rain-hit AustrianGP on Sunday after taking the gamble to stay out on slick tyres.

At one point the nine-time world champion was looking at his first podium since Jerez last year - the 200th of his career in the premier class - while running third to Brad Binder and Aleix Espargaro, before the last lap deluge destroyed his hopes, and those of the packed out crowd.

The final lap saw advances from Pecco Bagnaia, Jorge Martin and Joan Mir - who had all swapped to wet set-ups - with the veteran also losing out to championship leader, and fellow Yamaha man, Fabio Quartararo in the closing stages, to finish eighth.

“Was an unbelievable race because the crossing point between the guys that remain with the slick and the guys that change for the rain, arrive in the same moment, in the last three corners, so was very exciting,” Rossi explained after the celebrations on Sunday.

“I decided to don’t stop because have just five laps and was the right choice because I improved my position. Until two laps to go was very good but in the last lap was difficult because we have more rain.

“Is always an instinct decision but I don’t want to come in the pit because have five or six laps to go. Entering the pit, you lose one minute, so I say no, no, I don’t want to stop, also because I said ‘is not a thunderstorm, start just a little bit, and don’t have a lot of water,’ so was the right decision.

“Usually you never continue like this, but the rain started very slow, and in the first laps I have a problem just in two corners - in the turn three and in the turn six - but the rest was dry still. So you can keep good temperature in the brakes and in the tyres. You have to ride very smooth, but you can anyway, go. But the last lap and a half was very, very difficult because the bike start to spin everywhere, and it’s very easy to make mistakes. So you need to ride very, very, very smooth, but at the end to don’t stop was the right decision.

“At a certain point I was also on the podium so it was quite exciting but anyway, is good. At the end is a good result, we take some points. Is important for me, and is important also for the team in a difficult moment. So we go back at home from the two Austrias - that on the paper are the most difficult weekends - with two decent races and some points, so we are happy.”

The cool down lap saw Rossi celebrating with his brother, Luca Marini, and Iker Lecuona - who both secured their best results of their MotoGP careers - after the trio had enjoyed an on-track battle in the final laps, before stopping to share the moment with the fans. The Spielberg Circuit having played host to an almost full capacity, 86,000 crowd on race day alone.

“It was a great moment because, first of all, with Luca, we know that we can have a battle today because all the practice we were more or less with the same pace,” Rossi continued.

“So we always follow each other and everybody wants to try to arrive in front. At the end have also Lecuona, because in this year I have a lot of hard battle also with Lecuona and sincerely we enjoy. The problem is that I have the double of age, so I have the same age of Lecuona and my brother together I think! But I think this is a positive thing.

“We enjoy, we laugh and also my brother was very, very happy because it’s a good result for him. At the end he beat me, fuck! but we will try another time in Silverstone,” he joked.

“I think that anyway, in that group, Luca want to go in the pits but after see me and also Lecuona see me, that I continue, and I think that they change idea, and they come with me, so I think that also they have to say thanks for today.

“Today was very good because it’s the first time that we have the full circuit with the fans - we can say ‘normal situation’. Because around the track we have a lot, a lot of people and a lot of people with a yellow T shirt, with yellow caps. So I have a good atmosphere and the lap after the flag was very emotional, and also the circuit say thank you with the helicopter. Was good, was very emotional.”