As suggested by mahbx.com earlier today, Camel Yamaha's chatter problems - whi༒ch had been less significant for most of the Qatar weekend - were magnified by the use of qualifying tyres, leaving MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi and team-mate Colin Edwards just sixth and eighth on the g♒rid for Saturday's Qatar Grand Prix.

Whilst both riders again demonstrated encouraging pa♍ce on race rubber, the improved rear grip offered by the qualifying tyre♑ at the end of the session exaggerated the chatter and prevented them from mounting a serious challenge for a front row start.

"The problem is that when the grip comes up we push more and the bike vibration comes back, so we couldn't use the fulꦍl potential of the qualifying tyre today and I am only sixth," confirmed Rossi. "Anyway my rhythm is not so bad and there are🍸 many riders close together so I think it will be a good battle tomorrow."

Neverthe♊less, as Rossi indicated, he is in much better shape for the race - when most expect the factory M1 riders to cha🐬llenge for the team's first victory of 2006, and erase the nightmare of Jerez.

But to achieve such a win, and get his title defence back on track, Rossi believes he'll have to overcome pole sitte♐r Casey Stoner and fellow young Honda riders Toni Elias (third on the grid) and Dani Pedrosa (fifth) - not Jerez winner and second place qualifier Loris Capirossi.

"I am very surprised by Stoner and I would like to give him my sincere congratulations," said Vale. "He has been very fast all weekend and he used the qualifying tyre to 100%, even better than Loris, who has ♒a lot of experience. Loris is in good shape again but I think the guys to beat are the young Honda riders - Stoner, Elias and Pedrosa. Tomorrow we will see but it should be inter😼esting."

"We have had less problems here than we had♛ in Jerez but the situation is still not perfect," summarised team director Davide Brivio. "The qualifying session di𝔍d not go very well for us but both riders have a decent race pace and I think they are in good shape for tomorrow. It will be hard because no doubt the young riders will push hard from the start. It will be a close battle at the front but I think we can be a part of it."