Valentino Rossi will race with the 2012 chassis at Qatar’s season opener.

Nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi will commence his Yamaha comeback using the 2012 chassis that Jorge Lorenzo rode to last year’s world championship.

A final day of complicated weather conditions restricting track action has signalled the end of pre-season testing for the MotoGP Championship at Jerez in Spain.

Having climbed dramatically to the top of the timesheets on Sunday for the first time in two years and sent a clear message that a new chapter had begun for him, Rossi put in another impressive ride this afternoon to leave the test second fastest in the combined times.

“I’m so happy at the end of today to have some quite good conditions to make some laps in the dry, because for us it was very important to try the different chassis,” Rossi said.

“The feeling is generally okay, I was competitive in difficult conditions and also made good lap times with the used tyre. The new chassis has some good and bad points but I think I will start the season with the chassis from yesterday and test this one again during the season.

“I am happy about the test – I was competitive so I think we can be competitive for the first race in Qatar also.”

The grand prix season will open at the Losail Circuit in Qatar on 5-7 April.