Clutch fault caused Vermeulen penalty

The Suzuki rider had to take a ride-through penalty after creeping before the lights, consigning him to 11th place.

"I had a problem with the clutch on the start-line and I couldn't hold the bike still when it was in gear," Vermeulen explained.

"It was creeping forward and I went later than everyone so I wouldn't get a jump start, but there was nothing I could do and I just edged over the line before the lights changed.

"After the ride-through I just got my head down and did the laps and tried to make up some places.

"It was very difficult conditions out there for the tyres, but we managed to get some decent enough points considering how the start went."

Vermeulen's teammate John Hopkins looked set for a top five finish before encountering the Bridgestone tyre wear issues that also led to Casey Stoner and Marco Melandri falling back in the final laps.

"With about seven laps to go we ran into some tyre problems and we were really struggling for edge grip - especially on the left-handers," Hopkins said.

"I then got into a battle with Melandri and Stoner and I've got to say it was the strangest race I've ever been in - at the end, with the lack of rear grip, it was harder than riding in the rain."