Chris Vermeulen raced to his and Rizla Suzuki MotoGP's first Grand Prix win at a rain-soaked Le Mans.
Vermeulen rode an almost faultless race in the wet after heavy rain started to fall over the 4.180km French circuit.
He entered pit-lane at the end of lap nine to change to his wet-weather prepared Suzuki GSV-R. Within two laps he hit the front and never looked under threat all the way to the chequered flag, the impressive Australian finishing the race over 12 seconds in front of the second-placed man Marco Melandri. World Championship leader Casey Stoner finished third to give Bridgestone tyres a clean sweep on the podium.
Vermeulen now moves up to fifth place in the MotoGP World Championship with Rizla Suzuki MotoGP going up to third in the team's championship.
Rizla Suzuki MotoGP will now stay in France for a day of testing before the MotoGP circus moves across Europe for round six of the championship, to be held at Mugello in Italy on Sunday 3rd June.
1. C.VERMEULEN
2. M.MELANDRI
3. C.STONER