Source: Supplied.

In his 250th Grand Prix start, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP rider Jorge Lorenzo said goodbye to that title in stunning style, as the ‘Spartan’ took a lights-to-flag signature victory in his final appearance in blue.

A record-breaking pole saw the Spaniard then escape at the front, holding off a late charge from reigning world champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team). An Italian battle royale decided the final podium place, with Andrea Iannone (Ducati Team) taking third on the penultimate lap.

Under the blue skies of a long-awaited dry race day, Lorenzo got the holeshot from pole, but it was Iannone who was the big winner into turn one as the Italian blasted through on the inside to take second.

With Lorenzo imperious at the front, Iannone led the chase as Maverick Viñales (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), Marquez and Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) joined him in the battle behind the lead, after the number 93 suffered a bad start off the line.

After getting past Viñales, Rossi and Iannone fought it out at the head of the second group as the number 99 began to disappear into the distance, with Marquez and Viñales in close company.

As Rossi got to the head of the chasers, Iannone hit back again and so began round two. It was the ‘Maniac’ who initially came out on top, before Marquez saw his shot and got through, gapping the fight to start a charge after Lorenzo at the front, eventually cutting more than three seconds off the number 99’s lead.

The podium decider was left to a brutal, classic battle between Iannone and Rossi, with the rider from Tavullia seeming to have got the better of his younger compatriot, until Iannone hit back with an aggressive move that also gave him a gap he was able to hold onto over the line. Viñales completed his final weekend with Suzuki in fifth.

Dovizioso eventually dropped slightly back from the front group into the clutches of Aleix Espargaro (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and brother Pol (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) to fight for sixth after grip issues, with younger brother Pol finally taking the honours over the line in a photo-finish against Dovizioso, and Aleix seeing the flag in eighth.

Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) unfortunately suffered a crash to bid adieu to his fantastic latter half of 2016, but he takes the title of Top Independent rider although bettered by Pol Espargaro on the day.

Crutchlow’s compatriot Bradley Smith (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) had another impressive ride as he gets back to fitness following a crash ahead of the British GP and two knee surgeries, taking ninth in his final race with Tech 3 before he moves to Red Bull KTM Factory Racing.

Alvaro Bautista had a stunning ride in his final race with Aprilia Racing Team Gresini in their special ‘Red’ livery, completing the top ten to round out a year of impressive progress.

Returning Repsol Honda Team rider Dani Pedrosa crashed out after an impressive weekend despite a recent collarbone break and wildcard Mika Kallio, debuting the new KTM RC16, was sadly unable to see the flag after technical trouble, but the Austrian factory now head into the 2017 pre-season with vital information after lining up for the first time.

Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS rider Jack Miller finished the season in the points with a determined ride into 15th place in Valencia today.

After a history-making 2016, MotoGP will return in pre-season testing on Tuesday, with Lorenzo in red at Ducati as the pack shuffles and prepares its hand for another incredible season of motorcycle racing.

Moto2 signed off 2016 with a true grand finale, a breathless first half of the race to be remembered as Franco Morbidelli (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS), Johann Zarco (Ajo Motorsport), Alex Rins (Paginas Amarillas HP40) and Tom Lüthi (Garage Plus Interwetten) went to war in stunning style.

A showcase of the best of Moto2, the fight then became a duel for the lead between equally the aggressive Italian and Frenchman before Zarco started to pull away, taking his final victory in the intermediate class ahead of his graduation to MotoGP.

As tyres dropped towards the end, some paid the price for the fight, as Lüthi came back through to take second and confirm second in the championship, leaving Morbidelli to complete the podium in P3.

The EG0,0 Marc VDS rider’s 18 point haul means he just misses the top three in the standings, as Rins’ fifth place keeps the Spaniard ahead by a single point after also suffering at the end, caught by Federal Oil Gresini Moto2’s Sam Lowes.

Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) signed off his Moto3 career with an unbelievable fight back through the field to the victory, after ending up in P22 in the early stages of the race.

Joan Mir (Leopard Racing) took P2 and another podium to round off an impressive season, taking the title of rookie of the year in the process, with Sky Racing Team VR46 rider Andrea Migno completing the podium.