Rossi was fighting teammate Maverick Vinales for victory in the closing stages of the Le Mans race, having pulled off what looked like the race-deciding overtake on the Spaniard on lap 26 of 28.

But Vinales stuck with Rossi until the final lap, where the Italian ran wide at Garage Vert, allowing his teammate through, and then crashed out at Turn 11.

“On the last lap I did a mistake, so Maverick overtake me - but I knew that I could have another chance because it was very close,” Rossi recalled.

“I tried to remain there because in the section four I was good and, sincerely, what's happened in the crash we don't understand. Because usually you have to keep attention to the front, but I lost the rear.

“But you know, I am of the idea that when you crash, anyway make a mistake and it's like this, it is a great shame, to go back home with zero points.”

Elaborating on his moment at Garage Vert, Rossi said: “About that, maybe I arrive one kilometre [km/h] faster but it was enough because I lost the bike in the braking and I went wide.

“So this was the big mistake, because then the other one [the crash] is the consequence of the first.

“But sincerely the crash, we check deeply all the data. I feel I was strong in the last section but I don't feel too much [wrong], but I lose the rear so something happened for sure, I did some mistake that I crashed.”

Rossi admitted that the crash was particularly hard to take because he felt he had been just a few corners away from winning.

“Today I really feel [upset] because it was the perfect race," he said. "For sure it is difficult also with Maverick because anyway we have the last part of the racetrack but I was very strong.

“So I thought that I was five corners to the victory, and in the crucial moment I did a mistake.”

Additional reporting by William Zinck