Briton Danny Kent secures world Moto3 title in Valencia

Danny Kent has become Britain's first motorcycling grand prix world champion for 38 years, by finishing ninth in the final Moto3 race of the season in Spain.

The 21-year-old had gone into the concluding weekend needing to finish no lower than 14th in order to emulate Barry Sheene who claimed the second of his 500cc titles in 1977.

And the Leopard Racing rider admitted: "It's an amazing feeling. I'll go and have a little cry and let all the emotions out."

Kent had started 18th on the grid, improved three places by the end of lap one, before slowly moving through the field during the 24-lap race.

Kent won five races during the first half of the season and was 70 points clear with six rounds to go before a series of setbacks took the title down to the wire.

He also won his home grand prix at Silverstone but, during the final six meetings, could not finish higher than sixth.

Meanwhile his closest rival, Miguel Oliveira of Portugal, won four of the last half-dozen races while finishing second in the other two.

But despite another victory in Valencia on Sunday, he ended the season six points adrift on Kent.

In an exciting finale to Sunday's race, Oliveira moved from third to first to clinch another win. Kent finished just under 10 seconds behind Oliveira and just over 10 ahead the rider in the all-important 14th spot.

Both Kent and Oliveira are moving up to Moto2 class next year.

Elsewhere, another Briton John McPhee, was seventh in the race to finish 11th in the overall standings.