Valentino Rossi found enough pace overnight to get himself to the top of the timing screens during third practice for the Spanish Grand Prix, pipping Honda rival Marc Marquez by just 0.046s.
The Italian shot to the top with a 1m39.244 in the closing minutes of the session, guaranteeing himself a Q2 spot.
Friday's quickest rider, Jorge Lorenzo, couldn't quite match his team-mate, finishing a quarter of a second adrift in fourth behind third-placed Pol Espargaro who used the slipstream of Marquez to great effect.
Times were considerably tighter throughout the top five, Honda's Dani Pedrosa improving to a 1m39.579 to head into qualifying with the fifth fastest time. Like Marquez he was struggling somewhat with Turns 11 and 12. Pedrosa has never finished off the podium in Jerez in the premier class.
Maverick Viñales (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), Aleix Espargaro (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Andrea Iannone (Ducati Team) and Hector Barbera (Avintia Racing) will all advance directly into Q2 having ended inside the top ten.
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