Valentino Rossi came wi൲thin 0.126s of qualifying as the fastest Yamaha rider ahead of his MotoGP farewell at Valencia on Sunday.

Eager to sign-off his illustrious career with a competitive showing, Rossi delighted his fans by snatching a rare top ten in FP3🧔 - providing vital direct access to Qualifying 2 - then delivered his best qualifying since Silverstone courtesy of tenth on the grid.

With a little help from Francesco Bagnaia.

The factory Ducat🃏i star, one of three MotoGP riders whose path to the premier-class was supported by Rossi's VR46 Academy, gave The Doct🐭or a tow in both FP3 and Qualifying.

Nothing was planned, Rossi explained, but each time Bagnaia saw the #46 behind him, he chose to keep pushing in the knowledge it would help the n🐽ine-time world champion.

"Pecco h▨elped me, I'm very happy," Rossi said. "We didn’t have a clear plan, I just started behind him and he saw me but he continued to push. So thanks a lot to Pecco, who h🍒elped me improve my lap time."

Rossi was again shadowing Bagnaia as he exited the pits for his last MotoGP qualifying run. More cautious into𝄹 Turn 1, Rossi struggled to stay in the wheeltracks of the Ducati but what would be his best lap time bri😼efly moved him to seventh, before others improved.

The 4🍸2-year-old's speed through the third sector was just 0.085s slower than Bagnaia. The Ducati ace fell at the end of the session, but by then Rossi had used the best of his tyres.

"No, for me it was over because [🌜by then] because for me the good lap is the first lap with the rear tyre. Already on the second lap I lose something. I could do a little bit better I think, but this '30.7 is my potential," said Rossi.

The Italian l𝔍apped 0.810s from Pramac Ducati pole man Jorge Martin, but was only 0.126s behind new world champion and fastest Yamaha rider Fabio Quartararo, in eighth. Quartararo's team-mate Franco Morbidelli, another VR46 rider, will start just behind Rossi.

"For me and for us it was a good ♚Saturday, very positive from this morning because already🌟 in FP3 I improved the feeling with the bike, the tyres and the setting. At the end I was able to stay in the top ten and to go directly to Qualifying 2.

"This chaꦫnged everything. And also in the afternoon I ♎was not so bad in FP4. We tried some different tyres. After, in qualifying, I was able to improve my lap time to a '30.7 and stay in the top ten another time, very close to the first Yamaha.

"This is a great feel🅷ing for me and for the team in my last race.

"I think that apart from the emotional moment for me it's very important to try to make a good weekend, a good result and I will start in the top ten. So it was a good Saturd🧸ay."

Rossi, who has a best result of eighth so far this season, will be starting his 432nd grand pri🅷x at Valencia.