After a late start, new six time MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi experienced an early v🎃ersion of Yamaha's 2009 YZR-M1 - and the new single-tyre spec Bridgestones - during Monday's opening day of testing at Valencia.

Despite completing the least laps of any rider present, 40, the Italian was third fastest with a time of 1min 32.921secs. That time was 0.154sec quicker th🌺an his best lap in Sunday's race but 0.457sec behind Monday's pace setter - and Sunday's race winner - Casey Stoner.

Rossi began with two runs of six laps each with his 2008 M1 in order to check some settings and also get a feel for the new tyres. The Italian, sporting a special testing helmet, then made five runs and a total of 28 laps on the new prototype, setting his b𝕴est time on the second run.

"Toda💞y we began work on 2009 and I was able to try the new bike for 🍸the first time. It is only the first prototype but my impression of it is very good and it seems they have done a good job," declared Rossi.

"We are working on the engine in order to have more acceleration on the exit from the corner and there is a small change, not enough yet but in the right direction so this is important. We worked on the setting and the weight 🥃distribution and I was faster with the new bike so this is good!

"We need more time to understand the bike and m♏ore laps but this is only the first day and it is very positi💧ve."

Rossi and some other riders had previously expressed concern that Bridgest🐼one's plans to allow only 20 tyres per rider at each race weekend next༺ season - and only two different compounds - would cause problems, but he was pleasantly surprised by the new 'one size fits all' rubber.

"The other 'big' thing today of course 🦄is the new tyres and I am really happily surprised," he admitted. "This is not the best track to try them at as we don't have so much data for here but anyway they feel very good. I was e🐠xpecting less grip but we had a lot and everyone was fast today.

"The track conditions are a lot better today than they have been during the weekend so this makes a difference, but anyway we can alrꦅeady see that they are quite good. I think Bridgestone have done a good job but of course it will be hard to know for sure until we have be📖en to some different tracks.

"We have to w✃ait and see. For me they feel good even in comparison with my Bridgestone tyres from🧜 all of the season so I am happy so far.

"I have a special 'world champion' helmet now which I like a lot and which I will use throughout the winter testing. As for the number one... I will keep my 46 of course but I will put the numb𓆏er one on my back as I did in the past," he revealed.

Rossi's Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo was se🎐venth fastest in a time of 1min 33.550sec after his first day with Bridgestone tyres.