Initially, it﷽ looked like Valentino Rossi would finish Friday practice for the British MotoGP in just 17th place, after having his best time cancelled due to exceeding tracks limits by the small🌺est of margins.

But, like Fabio Quartararo and Takaaki Nakagami, the Italian later had the lap reinstated and so finished fourth on 🍌the timesheets, 0.7s from Quartararo, around the newly-resurfaced Silverstone circuit.

"I did a good lap, but I was really on the limit with the white line, but from the bike I had the feeling that anyway I touched it," Rossi said. "In fact, they had to review the image and then they gave me back📖 my lap time, which is very important for [the top t𓃲en] tomorrow morning.

"So it's a good start because we come from two races where I improved the 🌳feeling with the bike and then alsoꦓ the first day here was good because in both sessions I had quite good pace.

"I am in P4, but for sure it's just Friday so everything💫 will change. We have to work in some differ🌟ent areas where I don’t feel comfortable at the maximum, but the start was good."

In terms of overnight improvements, Rossi explained: "We los🎶e a little bit in traction, in acceleration. Section four is always difficult because in the exit from Turn 17 looks like we have a bit to🐷o much slide. And also the last corner is a bit difficult.

"I'm very fast in section two, not so bad in secti🎶on one. Section three is not fantas🔥tic in the two hairpins.

"In general we have to work with the electronics, wor🙈k with the balance and especially we need to make the right choice with the tyres because this afternoon I tried hard-hard but it was not fantastic, so the choice ꦗis very open."

Silverstone was completely resurfaced following last year's cancellation due to꧟ drainage problems. The grip is better, Rossi said, but the biggest improvement h🧸as been to the bumps.

"It's a great pleasure to🌊 ride here in Sil🍎verstone because they make a very good job," said the nine time world champion.

"The new asphalt has good grip, but the biggest difference is a lot less bumps, so you can push more and ride the bike more at the limit. Y♏ou can also use the perfect line because in the past♎ Silverstone was very, very bumpy.

"For me we nee♛d to 'use' the track this year because maybe in the future come some more bumps, but thi💝s year - I don’t want to say perfect - but it's close to perfect."

Rossi's team-mate Maverꦕick Vinales made it three Yamahas in the top four, with Honda's Marc Marque🌃z in second.

"It looks like all the Yamahas are in good shape," said Rossi. "This is good and we will try to continue like this, working tomorrow to arrive ready for Sunday and hoping that the weather rem꧑ains good."

Asked about the small differences between the chassis now being used by the Yamaha riders, Rossi said his frame is "maybe a bit differ𓆉ent compared to Vinales" but that hꦺe has used the same design since the start of the season.

Vinales confirmed 𒊎;he had tried "two or three dif💝ferent chassis during the season", but "I've kept the same one for many races now".

Quartararo is thought to have got one of the ne𝔉wer frames by Assen, with 'factory spec' team-mate Franco M💦orbidelli having the same choice as Rossi and Vinales at the start of the year.