Barros steals Rossi's thunder

Alex Barros of Brazil spoiled Valentino Rossi's attempt to equal a record in the final Moto GP of the season in Valencia.

Rossi, on a Respol Honda, had hoped to equal Mick Doohan's record of 12 race victories in a season – which he achieved when the class was the 500cc world championship – but the London-based Italian had to concede second best to West Honda's Barros as RC211V four-strokes filled the top two spots.

The Italian Max Biaggi took second spot in the final standings after finishing third, despite having started the race on pole position. Biaggi will now move to Honda for next season after leaving Yamaha. Marco Melandri, the new 250cc world champion, will replace him.

Jeremy McWilliams, of Ulster, rounded off his season by finishing eighth to take 14th place in the table. The Proton KR rider, who will race the team's four-stroke next season, gave the two-stroke a suitable send-off, having struggled against losing traction.

"That was as hard as I could push, but I lost so much traction in the last couple of laps that I had to back off, otherwise I would probably not have finished," McWilliams said. "It's encouraging to finish in the top 10, on tyres that raced for the first time in this class at the beginning of the year, and on a bike with a top-speed deficit of 25kph."

Melandri, who was crowned world champion a fortnight ago in Australia, completed a successful season with victory in the 250cc race. The Italian rider from the start to the finish on his Aprilia, who he will leave next season in favour of Yamaha.

The Frenchman Arnaud Vincent (Aprilia) won the 125cc title as he took second behind the Spaniard Daniel Pedrosa (Honda). Chaz Davies, the Welsh schoolboy, finished 28th on his Matteoni Aprilia.