Valencia MotoGP
Date: 6-7 November
Saturday 6 November Qualifying: 1150-1400, BBC Red Button/online (not live on freeview but delayed coverage available from 1405-1505)
Sunday 7 November 125cc & Moto2: 0950-1205, BBC Red Button/online, MotoGP: 1230-1400, BBC Two/online & BBC HD, MotoGP Extra: 1400-1430, BBC Red Button & BBC HD

Valentino Rossi is determined to end his Yamaha career with victory in the final round of the MotoGP Championship in Valencia this weekend.

The 31-year-old has won four World Championships in seven years at Yamaha but will race for Ducati in 2011.

"I would love to win as it would be a great end to this partnership, which has had so many beautiful moments," said Rossi, third in the Championship.

World champion Jorge Lorenzo was fastest in practice with Rossi ninth.

Lorenzo trailed Casey Stoner by 0.558 seconds in the opening practice session, but posted a time of one minute 32.690 at the end of the second free practice to lay down the challenge to his rivals.

Ducati's Stoner trailed Lorenzo by 0.314 seconds with Colin Edwards completing the top three.

The riders will go through the third free practice session on Saturday morning before qualifying for Sunday's race gets under way in the afternoon, when Lorenzo will be hoping to claim his eighth pole position of the season.

Rossi, who finished almost a second behind Lorenzo, said of his Yamaha departure: "It will be an emotional weekend for all."

The Italian finished second in Estoril last time out, one of four successive top-three placings, and is currently 19 points behind second placed Dani Pedrosa.

"We will do everything that we can," he said. "Second is not impossible, although we know Dani is strong in Valencia and it hasn't been the best track for me in the last few years."

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Stoner is another former world champion racing for the final time for his current team this weekend, and will be replaced at Ducati by Rossi.

The Australian, world champion in 2007, is joining Honda after four years with the Italian manufacturer and, like Rossi, he is eager to sign off on a successful note.

"After the awful weather we had to put up with in Portugal I hope that Valencia is a bit better and we get the chance to work well and get a good set-up for my final race on the Ducati," said Stoner.

"I have always liked the circuit and I had my first ever win here in 125cc. In the past we have always been able to find a good set-up so we are confident. I really want to have a good race this weekend."

Meanwhile, Ben Spies is aiming to ride in the final race despite dislocating his ankle last time out.

The 2010 rookie of the year crashed in a sighting lap for the Portuguese Grand Prix at Estoril last weekend.

"I'm frustrated because I'm sure even in the dry I'd have had a fairly good race," said the Tech 3 Yamaha rider.

"I'll have some more scans in Spain but my intention is to go to Valencia and race and hopefully do the test too."

Spies, 26, aggravated injuries suffered earlier in the season at Le Mans and Silverstone in the crash.

The former World Superbikes champion has impressed sufficiently in his debut season to earn promotion to the Fiat Yamaha team next season as team-mate to world champion Jorge Lorenzo and successor to seven-time champion Rossi.

Spies' place in the Tech 3 garage alongside Colin Edwards will go to Great Britain's Cal Crutchlow.

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