MotoGP rookie Cal Crutchlow produced the surprise of Monday's official Estoril test when he slas🔴hed nearly two-second𓂃s from his best race lap to claim fourth place on the timesheets.

The Englishman was only 0.6sec slower than test pace setter Marco Simoncelli (Gresini Honda) as he outpaced the likes of Valentino Rossi and his own experienced Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team-mate Colin Ed🍌wards.

The secret to Crutchlow's success, at a track where he matched his best MotoGP finish of eighth in Sunday'൩s race, was a modified handlebar position and wheelbase.

Only Simoncelli,🃏 Jorge Lorenzo and Casey Stoner were able to lap faster than C💛rutchlow, who completed 71-laps.

"To🐻day was really positive and I can't really ask for much more than finishing fourth quickest with only three of the fastest riders in the world in front of me," smiled Cal.

"I was able to lap nearly two seconds faster than I did in the race, but I was quietly confident that the changes we planned to make for today would mean I could go a lot 🐓faster."

The former World Supersport champion and World Superbike race winner explained that the unpredictable we꧋ather meant he couldn't risk trying the modifications during the race weekend,

"Losing so much track time because of the weather aꦉt the weekend meant I couldn't risk taking a gamble on making too many changes for the race𝓡," he said.

Crutchlow, like many riders, set his fast🦹est time while🤡 trying the 2012 Bridgestone tyres.

"I honestly didn't expect to break into the 36s but I felt comfortable and even with 25-laps on the same se🌠t of tyres I was doing low to mid-37s," he said.

"I know ev⭕eryone goes faster in a test but my time today was faster than Dani Pedrosa's best lap 🔜in the race and he won, so my pace bodes well for the future.

ဣ"We moved the handlebars and lengthened the wheelbase and I just felt much more comfortable. The bike was a lot easier to ride and much less aggressive and I was fast thro♓ughout the whole day.

"If I'd had this se﷽t-up🌟 for the race I'm sure I could have had a battle with Colin, and he was sixth, so that's really encouraging.

"I can't wait for Le Mans now. It is the home race for ꦺthe Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team and today's result has given me a lot of confidence that ♑I can be competitive again on another track I have to learn from scratch."