British MotoGP: Cal Crutchlow takes second in dramatic Silverstone race

Crutchlow held off seven-time champion Valentino Rossi by 0.583 seconds

Britain's Cal Crutchlow finished second in a dramatic British MotoGP at Silverstone as Spain's Maverick Vinales dominated to take his first-ever win.

Pole-starter Crutchlow, 30, held off title leader Marc Marquez and Valentino Rossi on the final lap.

Andrea Iannone had threatened to take a podium place but crashed on his Ducati with five laps remaining.

Earlier, the race was red-flagged and restarted after a first-lap crash involving Loris Baz and Pol Espargaro.

Crutchlow, who become Britain's first MotoGP race winner in 35 years in the Czech Republic last month, was 3.480 seconds behind Vinales and just 0.583secs ahead of Italy's Rossi, the seven-time champion and 2015 Silverstone victor.

"It was a long race but good fun," Honda rider Crutchlow said on BT Sport.

"We deserved that result. The crowd deserved it. They've backed me for years. Pole and second, I'll take that all day long. I expected to be in the top six."

Crutchlow was overtaken by Italian legend Rossi from second at the start and had to refocus when the race was halted after Baz and Espargaro collided near the back of the grid.

At the restart, Vinales moved up quickly from third on the grid towards a healthy lead by lap nine, with Crutchlow at one point in danger of missing the podium.

However, Iannone slid out with five laps left before Marquez lost ground in the penultimate lap by going off the track, leaving Crutchlow the job of edging Rossi in to second place.

Vinales becomes the first man to win a race in each of the Moto3, Moto2, and MotoGP championships, while it was Suzuki's first victory in nine years.

Lincolnshire's Alex Lowes finished 13th on his Yamaha, 40 seconds off the pace, on his MotoGP debut.

The next race takes place at Misano, in Italy, next Sunday.

Meanwhile, Silverstone will host the 2017 British MotoGP after the track agreed a deal with the Circuit of Wales.

The Welsh venue signed a five-year deal to host MotoGP in 2014 but work on the £315m project has been delayed.

British GP standings:

1. Maverick Vinales (Spa) Suzuki 39 minutes 3.559 seconds

2. Cal Crutchlow (GB) Honda +3.480

3. Valentino Rossi (Ita) Yamaha +4.063

4. Marc Marquez (Spa) Honda +5.992

5. Dani Pedrosa (Spa) Honda +6.381

6. Dovizioso (Ita) Ducati +12.303

7. Aleix Espargaro (Spa) Suzuki +16.672

8. Jorge Lorenzo (Spa) Yamaha +19.432

9. Danilo Petrucci (Ita) Ducati +25.618

10. Alvaro Bautista (Spa) Aprilia +32.084

Click here for full standings

MotoGP standings:

1. Marc Marquez (Spa) Honda 210 points

2. Valentino Rossi (Ita) Yamaha 160

3. Jorge Lorenzo (Spa) Yamaha 146

4. Maverick Vinales (Spa) Suzuki 125

5. Dani Pedrosa (Spa) Honda 120

6. Andrea Iannone (Ita) Ducati 96

7. Andrea Dovizioso (Ita) Ducati 89

8. Cal Crutchlow (GB) Honda 86

9. Pol Espargaro (Spa) Yamaha 81

10. Hector Barbera (Spa) Ducati 78