MotoGP rider Chris Vermeulen of Australia speeds to victory on Suzuki during the MotoGP Grand Prix of France in Le Mans, western France, Sunday, May 20. - AP photos

LE MANS, France (Reuters):

Australian Suzuki rider Chris Vermeulen won his first motoGP victory when he upstaged the favourites in a rain-hit French Grand Prix last Sunday.

Vermeulen beat last year's winner Marco Melandri of Italy on a Honda after coping perfectly with the tricky conditions on the 4.18-km Le Mans circuit.

Casey Stoner of Australia steered his Ducati to third place to extend his lead at the top of theworld championship standings to 21 points over Italian Valentino Rossi.

Seven-time world champion Rossi, who has been struggling all weekend, finished sixth behind Spain's Dani Pedrosa and Germany's Alex Hofmann.

Rossi, starting outside the front row for the first time this season, took the lead after a couple of corners, but was soon attacked by local favourites Randy De Puniet and Sylvain Guintoli.

Kawasaki rider De Puniet took command of the race after five laps with Rossi suddenly dropping back four places.

With drizzle turning into heavier rain 20 laps from the finish line, Guintoli, De Puniet and Toni Elias crashed and John Hopkins took the lead.

The American made a pit-stop along with Rossi, Stoner and Pedrosa on the 10th lap to change tyres. Melandri opted not to make a change and he was soon overtaken by Vermeulen.

The Australian, whose best previous result was second place in last year's rain-hit Australian GP behind Melandri, never looked back.

"When I saw all those riders on the ground I just tried to keep it together," Vermeulen told a news conference.