Cal Crutchlow is not surprised to see Marc Marquez back on top of the MotoGP World Championship standings following the halfway stage of the season, in Germany on Sunday.

"He's the best rider in the championship," Crutchlow declared. "The guy who is leading the championship now, will win the championship."

The Repsol Honda rider took only his second victory of the year at the Sachsenring, enough to move him five points clear of Yamaha's Maverick Vinales - the pair having tangled a day earlier in qualifying. .

"Marc's just playing with them. The same as he was playing with Maverick yesterday. Marc loves it. He finds that funny. You play mind-games with Marc and it's not going to work. He plays mind games with you... Maverick is wondering why he's been rode into and Marc's just like, 'Because you were there. Why not?'"

The top four riders in the standings - Marquez, Vinales, Andrea Dovizioso and Valentino Rossi - are currently covered by ten points after nine of 18 rounds. But Crutchlow reiterated:

"The guy who is leading the championship now is the best and strongest in the championship. And he will also win the championship, bar any freak events."