Rossi: Stoner has qualifying edge

Reigning champion Rossi had a number of dramas in his session, including being blocked by Toni Elias while on a hot lap, but he didn't think he could have matched Stoner's 1m38.646s lap even if the event had not been interrupted by James Toseland's crash and stopped early due to rain.

"This afternoon I was quite unlucky because just before the red flag I was on a fast lap and was blocked, then we had the red flag and this meant there wasn't much time before the rain came at the end," said Rossi.

"I am not sure I could have beaten Stoner today though; he was faster over one lap than me."

But Rossi remains confident about his pace on long runs.

"I am happy enough about this test because yesterday and this morning we worked very well, made some good progress and most importantly we were fast," he said.

"We have a good setting for the race here and my race pace and speed is good."

Rossi's team-mate Jorge Lorenzo had been fastest in Saturday's test but was only fourth in the qualifying session.

"Yesterday was good but today it was a lot colder and I found it harder to be as fast because the conditions were quite different," he said.

Lorenzo started his MotoGP career with three straight pole positions last year, but is concerned that he might now struggle in qualifying with the end of the tyre war.

"I think that the qualifying this year is going to be quite hard without the special tyres, which always suited my riding style quite well," he said.

"I was quite a specialist with the qualifying tyres and now I don't have that advantage, so I have to learn to adapt. My riding style is better with the harder Bridgestone tyre and so it will be quite difficult for me to be as good in the qualifying sessions this year, I think."