Le Mans MotoGP: Cal Crutchlow hails 'deserved' podium

Despite riding with a fractured shin after a heavy crash in pre-qualifying practice, Crutchlow rode to second place, and was also the lead Yamaha after passing both factory bikes early on.

The Briton reckons the result was earned on merit and said he was pleased to make amends following his crash at the track last year, also while battling for the podium.

"I'm really, really pleased," he said. "It's great to be up here. We did a good job, I think we deserved this podium.

"I was remembering last year when I crashed and it was the same guys [battling] again. I knew I needed to make amends."

Crutchlow conceded that the weather had helped with the injury he sustained on Saturday, and also paid tribute to eventual winner Dani Pedrosa and his Honda team-mate Marc Marquez, who finished just behind the Briton in third.

"Obviously after a big crash it was going to be a difficult race if it was dry," he admitted.

"I was confident to be in the top five but thought a podium would be really difficult.

"I think they [the Hondas] rode a good race. I was a little scared when I saw Marquez was coming but I had to keep pushing."