Thomas Lüthi


Thomas Lüthi is a professional motorcycle road racer currently competing in the Moto2 Grand Prix World Championship. For 2021, he will ride for Liqui Moly Intact GP in the Moto2 category.

Career

Early career

Lüthi was born in Oberdiessbach, Kanton Bern, Switzerland, but grew up in Emmental. Lüthi started racing pocket bikes at the age of nine. He won pocket bike championships in 1999 and 2000. In 2002, he finished second overall in the European 125cc Championship, and third in the German 125cc series.

125cc World Championship

Lüthi made his first 125cc World Championship appearance at the 2002 German Grand Prix, which he finished in 26th place.
In the 2003 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season, Lüthi was invited by Daniel Epp to ride for his team, known as the "Elit Grand Prix Team"; Epp became his manager. Lüthi scored his first podium in Barcelona and ended in second place. In 2004, he retired from four races in a row, missed four races because of injury, and scored 14 points.
Andy Ibbott of California Superbike School started training Thomas during the 2005 season. Lüthi scored his first 125cc class Grand Prix win in 2005 at Le Mans, followed by three more victories that season, including one at his team's home race at Brno, Czech Republic. On 6 November 2005 Lüthi secured his first world championship in the 125cc class, the sixth-youngest person to do so; this took place at Valencia. While using a Honda RS125R kit, Lüthi won the world championship title in the 125cc class, being five points ahead of Mika Kallio. Lüthi was voted Swiss sportsman of the year in 2005 and also won the annual "Swiss Award" in the category of sport.
After winning the 2005 125cc World Championship, he was partnered by Sandro Cortese of Germany and the team name was changed to "Elit — Caffè Latte". He scored his only win and only podium of the season at the 2006 French Grand Prix. He lost his championship title to Álvaro Bautista.

250cc World Championship

After the 2006 season, Lüthi moved on to 250cc. The team changed their name to "Emmi — Caffè Latte", and defected to Aprilia, racing on the Aprilia RSA 250.
For 2008, Lüthi continued with the Aprilia RSA 250. Daniel Epp also ran an Aprillia LE for Lukáš Pešek, under the Auto Kelly - CP branding. Lüthi did not have any podiums until the 2008 Italian GP, where he finished at the podium in third place. At Assen, he finished in second place behind Álvaro Bautista. At Brno, Lüthi crashed out of the race due to an apparent brake failure.
In 2009, he finished seventh overall in 250cc, although without a podium.

Moto2 World Championship

For 2010, he remained with the team in the Moto2 class that replaced the 250cc category. At Silverstone, Lüthi finished in second place. Lüthi finished in third place at Assen, which was a position he acquired on the last lap after being in first place earlier in the race. Lüthi had a collarbone injury during those two races.

MotoGP World Championship

On 24 August 2017, it was announced that Lüthi would move up to MotoGP for the 2018 season, partnering Moto2 title rival Franco Morbidelli at EG 0,0 Marc VDS. Lüthi did not score a single point throughout his first MotoGP campaign, with his best result being 16th place at Losail, Le Mans, Brno, Phillip Island, and Sepang.

Return to Moto2

On 12 August 2018, it was announced that Lüthi would step back to Moto2 for the 2019 season, joining Dynavolt Intact GP. He replaced Xavi Vierge, who moved to Marc VDS.

Career statistics

Grand Prix motorcycle racing

By season

* Season still in progress.

By class

Races by year

YearClassBike12345678910111213141516171819PosPts
125ccHondaJPNRSASPAFRAITACATNEDGBRGER
26
CZE
19
POR
9
BRA
24
PACMAL
21
AUS
Ret
VAL
24
27th7
125ccHondaJPN
9
RSA
17
SPA
12
FRA
9
ITA
15
CAT
2
NED
7
GBR
22
GER
Ret
CZE
Ret
POR
Ret
BRA
15
PAC
10
MAL
4
AUS
16
VAL
DNS
15th68
125ccHondaRSA
Ret
SPA
Ret
FRA
Ret
ITA
Ret
CATNEDBRAGER
18
GBR
18
CZE
18
POR
16
JPN
12
QAT
13
MAL
11
AUS
19
VAL
14
25th14
125ccHondaSPA
Ret
POR
3
CHN
4
FRA
1
ITA
2
CAT
7
NED
10
GBR
6
GER
2
CZE
1
JPN
2
MAL
1
QAT
6
AUS
1
TUR
5
VAL
9
1st242
125ccHondaSPA
Ret
QAT
8
TUR
12
CHN
Ret
FRA
1
ITA
9
CAT
6
NED
8
GBR
8
GER
6
CZE
5
MAL
13
AUS
4
JPN
Ret
POR
Ret
VAL
10
8th113
250ccApriliaQAT
4
SPA
Ret
TUR
5
CHN
8
FRA
Ret
ITA
5
CAT
4
GBR
Ret
NED
Ret
GER
9
CZE
7
RSM
4
POR
4
JPN
10
AUS
5
MAL
5
VAL
9
8th133
250ccApriliaQAT
15
SPA
Ret
POR
4
CHN
Ret
FRA
11
ITA
3
CAT
5
GBR
5
NED
2
GER
7
CZE
Ret
RSM
7
IND
C
JPNAUSMAL
9
VAL
10
11th108
250ccApriliaQAT
6
JPN
8
SPA
5
FRA
Ret
ITA
4
CAT
6
NED
Ret
GER
8
GBR
9
CZE
Ret
IND
9
RSM
10
POR
7
AUS
11
MAL
4
VAL
4
7th120
Moto2MoriwakiQAT
7
SPA
3
FRA
19
ITA
4
GBR
2
NED
3
CAT
2
GER
Ret
CZE
11
IND
7
RSM
3
ARA
10
JPN
8
MAL
Ret
AUS
11
POR
16
VAL
4
4th156
Moto2SuterQAT
3
SPA
2
POR
Ret
FRA
5
CAT
Ret
GBR
15
NED
8
ITA
6
GER
5
CZE
5
IND
17
RSM
8
ARA
7
JPN
3
AUS
11
MAL
1
VAL
17
5th151
Moto2SuterQAT
5
SPA
3
POR
3
FRA
1
CAT
2
GBR
8
NED
Ret
GER
5
ITA
3
IND
5
CZE
2
RSM
9
ARA
10
JPN
5
MAL
Ret
AUS
Ret
VAL
4
4th191
Moto2SuterQATAME
DNS
SPA
11
FRA
Ret
ITA
9
CAT
3
NED
8
GER
6
IND
13
CZE
3
GBR
3
RSM
4
ARA
Ret
MAL
3
AUS
2
JPN
3
VAL
7
6th155
2014Moto2SuterQAT
3
AME
6
ARG
19
SPA
10
FRA
8
ITA
Ret
CAT
5
NED
6
GER
9
IND
Ret
CZE
4
GBR
5
RSM
5
ARA
4
JPN
1
AUS
2
MAL
8
VAL
1
4th194
2015Moto2KalexQAT
3
AME
12
ARG
6
SPA
4
FRA
1
ITA
Ret
CAT
6
NED
5
GER
6
IND
6
CZE
7
GBR
9
RSM
10
ARA
5
JPN
Ret
AUS
15
MAL
2
VAL
3
5th179
2016Moto2KalexQAT
1
ARG
7
AME
7
SPA
6
FRA
3
ITA
4
CAT
5
NED
Ret
GER
Ret
AUT
4
CZE
DNS
GBR
1
RSM
6
ARA
4
JPN
1
AUS
1
MAL
6
VAL
2
2nd234
2017Moto2KalexQAT
2
ARG
3
AME
2
SPA
8
FRA
3
ITA
2
CAT
2
NED
2
GER
Ret
CZE
1
AUT
3
GBR
4
RSM
1
ARA
4
JPN
11
AUS
10
MAL
DNS
VAL2nd243
2018MotoGPHondaQAT
16
ARG
17
AME
18
SPA
Ret
FRA
16
ITA
Ret
CAT
Ret
NED
20
GER
17
CZE
16
AUT
22
GBR
C
RSM
22
ARA
17
THA
20
JPN
20
AUS
16
MAL
16
VAL
Ret
NC0
2019Moto2KalexQAT
2
ARG
Ret
AME
1
SPA
4
FRA
6
ITA
3
CAT
2
NED
4
GER
5
CZE
Ret
AUT
6
GBR
8
RSM
4
ARA
6
THA
7
JPN
2
AUS
3
MAL
3
VAL
2
3rd250
2020Moto2KalexQAT
10
SPA
AND
CZE
AUT
STY
RSM
EMI
CAT
FRA
ARA
TER
EUR
VAL
THA
MAL
ARG
10th6

* Season still in progress.