MotoGP Valencia: Maverick Vinales wins Moto3 title at final corner

Luis Salom, Vinales and Rins went into the Valencia finale covered by just five points in a 'winner takes all' season-closer.

Salom, who had led the points since Barcelona in June, crashed with nine laps to go, leaving the battle in the hands of teenagers Rins and Vinales.

They swapped positions repeatedly throughout the race, with Rins slicing into the lead at Turn 1 as they started the final lap.

But Vinales retaliated at Turn 2, and then made sure there was no room for Rins to get back inside as he took to the Turn 3 kerbs.

Rins held back for a final-corner attack, taking the lead only to go just wide enough for Vinales to cut to the inside and snatch the title with his first win since Le Mans in May.

Jonas Folger, who had shadowed the championship rivals throughout, pipped Rins for second over the line. Salom finished 14th.

Vinales and Salom will move up to Moto2 with the Pons team next season, replacing champion and Tech 3 Yamaha MotoGP recruit Pol Espargaro and his current team-mate Tito Rabat.

Rins, who is part of the Monlau operation that masterminded Marc Marquez's rise, has been tipped to stay on in Moto3 in 2014.