Nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi said a mistake on the brakes into the first corner during the MotoGP qualifying shoot-out at Qatar meant he ended up in a pack of riders when he was trying for a fast lap time.

The Doctor ran on into turn one on his second lap on the first pit exit, dirtying the rear Bridgestone, and when he came in to change behinf team-mate Jorge Lorenzo, the delay was enough to get him tangled in a gaggle riders for the next exit.

"For me you have to study and understand your strategy for be out in the right moment. My mistake is after the second lap on the first tyre, I go straight in the first corner as I am not able to stop, so I lose the 15 second for come back," said Rossi, speaking to bikesportnews.com at Qatar.

"The when I arrive in the pit, I was in delay of 15 second compared with Jorge. Jorge start alone, I start all together with the other guys, so for me that was the mistake."

Rossi also said that his setup doesn't yet give him enough confidence to push to the limit on the softer Bridgestones. He ended the session on the third row.

"I still don't have enough feeling with the bike to go 110 per cent with the softer tyre but from the other side, my rhythm is not so bad, the pace is quite good. For sure, starting from the third row will be more hard but we will try."