Monster Yamaha's Cal Crutchlow took his best ever MotoGP result at Le Mans today with a well-judged second place and says that to be the only Yamaha on the Le Mans MotoGP podium feels good despite riding with a fractured right tibia.

Crutchlow put in a smooth, calculated race in France, pressuring former team-mate Andrea Dovizioso into a mistake on the exit of the Dunlop chicane, gathering up the throttle and pushing past to immediately open a gap.

“I’m really happy to get my best ever result in MotoGP and the whole team did an incredible job and deserves this result. We showed our fast pace in the dry, we showed our pace in the wet and I think everybody is aware we are not here through luck," said Crutchlow.

"It’s even better and more important because this is the home race for Tech 3 and Monster Energy sponsors the event. So to be the best and only Yamaha on the podium feels really good. My start was not the best and it took me a bit of time to get temperature into the tyres. But once I managed that I felt really comfortable.

"When I saw Andrea and Dani opening a small gap to Valentino I had to make a move because I was afraid they would be too far ahead to try and catch later in the race. And when I saw Marquez recovering time on my pit board I had to pass Andrea otherwise he might have caught both of us during the last laps. I’m really happy with how things went, especially after the crash yesterday.

"The wet track obviously put less stress on my body but it was tough riding injured in such tough conditions. From now on I just hope we can be injury free and go to Mugello to put on the same show as we did here today.”