Valentino Rossi's own disappointment at qualifying last for his final home MotoGP appearance at Misano was countered by pri♒de at a surprise de💞but front-row by younger brother Luca Marini.

Rookie Marini, who w𒉰ill spearhead the VR46 ꦗteam's full MotoGP entry next season, took his 2019-spec bike to third place behind factory Ducati duo Francesco Bagnaia and Jack Miller.

But the cold and damp conditions weren🐼't so kind to Rossi, with The Doctor left𒐪 23rd and last.

"It was very, very difꦛficult from this morning," Rossi said. "Tricky conditions. It’s wet but n🌟ot very wet. And after it became more dry. Also the temperature is very cold. In the afternoon with the slicks we had a very narrow dry line and to ride at the limit without mistake is very difficult.

"I never had a good feeling with tyres, or the bike. At the end the position for tomorrow is not fantastic, but the weather forecast for tomorrow is better. I hope for the race we can have the sun, mor♔e normal conditions and we have to try to makꦿe more better results."

But a smile soon ret🌜urned to Rossi's fac🦩e when asked about his brother's best ever qualifying.

"Luca today was fantastic! I am very proud and happy for him for this front row," Rossi said. "He r💞ode very well. Already from Friday morning he was always in front. Today with these difficult conditions he was able to make a fantastic lap.

"The front ♎row is alread🔯y great for rookie and he was close to the pole position. This is very important for him for his future, his career. Next year we do the team together. I think he’ll have a good bike [GP22] and a good team behind him. He has the speed, the talent, to do some good things."

Rossi unveiled his final special helmet design on Saturday at M💯isano, featuring a yellow heart and grandstand of Rossi fans

"I think the helmet is beautiful. It’s a good message. It’s a big thanks for all the support through all my career in allꦇ these years, for aไll my fans who are always fantastic.

"This is the last one, the last special helmet. We don’t make a special helmet🐠 for✱ Valencia. We’ll do something else there but not that."

"Tomorrow will 🐻be a very emotional moment. But at the same time you have to stay concentrated and make the race. So it's n♛ot easy. But I’m happy we can say Ciao to all my fans at Misano."

Adding to the Saturday emotions was the ten-year anniversary o♏f Marco Simoncelli's death at Se🃏pang.

"10 years. It’s a long time ago. I will remem⛦ber for ever the moment after the race in Malaysia, it was one of the worst moments of my life at Sepang⭕ right after the race," recalled Rossi, who had been one of the riders caught up in Simoncelli's accident.

"I was desperate. I mean, it’s one of those moments you don’t know what to do to try and continue. It was an unforgettable feeling unfortunately. But after was also worse. We lose a great rider that for sure can make a great career and great battles with the modern rid💦ers. But also I lo♛se a good friend.

"I share a lot of time together with Marco, especially꧟ in the last years fr𓆏om 2006 to 2011. Remain a big hole, you know? I always say Marco was the first rider of the Academy (even) if the VR46 Academy didn’t exist.

"We started for the first time with Marco to help the other riders with the tra💞ining and with the support and my experience. When I see the rid🐲ers and Academy now, I always remember Marco."