CHESTE (Spain), Nov 6: Swiss rider Thomas Luthi wrapped up the 125cc motorcycling world championship when he finished ninth in the season-ending Valencian Grand Prix on Sunday.

The 19-year-old Honda rider, who won in France, the Czech Republic, Malaysia and Australia, became the first Swiss rider since Luigi Taveri in 1966 to win the 125cc world title.

Finn Mika Kallio, the only rider who could have deprived the Swiss of the title, won the race with a daring overtaking manoeuvre on the last lap, but Luthi’s ninth place was enough to secure him the championship by a margin of five points.

Hungarian Gabor Talmacsi finished in second place and Italy’s Mattia Pasini crossed the line third.

There was some consolation for Kallio as his KTM team took the manufacturers’ world championship.—Reuters