Pole sitter Jack Miller finished fourth, behind winner Cal Crutchlow, at a damp and chaotic Argentine MotoGP race.

Frenchman Johann Zarco finished a close second for Tech3 Yamaha after a last lap battle for the lead; Spaniard Alex Rins was third for Suzuki snaring his first MotoGP podium, while Australian Miller was next best.

Non-works LCR Honda rider Crutchlow, celebrating a third career MotoGP win and Honda’s 750th grand prix success, leads the riders’ standing on 38 points and leads Ducati’s Italian Andrea Dovizioso by three after two races.

“It was nice to win but it was to be expected to be honest,” said Crutchlow.

“I was comfortable in the battle, I felt I took no risks.

“I stayed with riders I probably should have and would have been able to drop if I needed to.

“I think we could have fought no matter which circuit it would have been this weekend.”

Honda’s reigning world champion Marc Marquez was penalised for a collision with Yamaha’s Italian great Valentino Rossi and finished well back.

The race start was delayed for safety reasons amid farcical scenes, with rain before the event leaving all riders except Miller on wet weather tyres.

The fast-improving conditions then triggered a mass return to the pits for a change of tyres with only Miller’s Pramac Ducati remaining on the grid.

Organisers decided, after consultations with team bosses in order to avoid a mass start from the pits, to leave Miller alone out front and several rows clear of the others after grid penalties.

Marquez then stalled, the four-times MotoGP champion wheeling the bike clear, bump-starting it and then riding the wrong way down the track to resume his starting position against the rules.

Marquez quickly reeled Miller in and passed him before receiving a ride-through penalty for the start infringement, knocking him back to 19th.

Miller, Rins, Zarco and Crutchlow broke clear with all four leading in turn while Marquez and Rossi tangled with four laps to go.

The Spaniard was handed a 30-second penalty, and finished 18th, with Rossi, who went off track and fell after the collision before resuming, finishing 19th.