Still-healing de Puniet thrilled with sixth

The LCR Honda rider had been enjoying his best MotoGP season so far until he was involved in a multi-bike tangle in July's German Grand Prix, during which Mika Kallio's Pramac Ducati ran over and broke his right leg.

Amazingly de Puniet missed just one race and returned for Brno, where he qualified 11th and finished 10th. But he found the Indianapolis track far tougher on his still-healing limb a week ago, running at the back all weekend.

At Misano though he was back on form, taking sixth on the grid - to his delight.

"It is good to be back up there with the guys," de Puniet said. "After the bad weekend in Indy I knew that I could bounce back here in Misano because I like this track very much and my leg is getting better day by day.

"This morning we struggled with the front end in the entry of some corners but we reduced the problem quite a lot.

"Honestly we are not at 100 per cent yet but I am delighted with this performance."

He said he is now keen to move on from the injury and hopes that a good finish in tomorrow's grand prix will help him forget recent events.

"Hopefully if we could take a good start tomorrow we will be able to fight for another positive result," said de Puniet. "I want to forget the crash, the fracture and the bad luck."