Thomas “Tom” Lüthi was born on 6 September 1986 in Oberdiessbach and still lives in the idyllic village of Linden in the Bernese Oberland with its 1300 inhabitants. He was practically born into motorcycling: His father was already a real racer on regional race tracks. Tom was on the handlebars from an early age, starting out on a pocket bike at the age of nine and winning his first races shortly afterwards.
At the age of 16, the talented rider from Bern finished third in the 2002 IDM and second in the European Championship - a stellar career was on the cards. Lüthi completed his first full season in the World Championship back in 2003, where he caused a stir for the first time with a second place in Catalonia.
His final breakthrough came in 2005, when he took his first Grand Prix victory at Le Mans, before winning the world title in the 125cc class on a Honda in Valencia on November 6 and going down in history as the sixth youngest world champion.
This triumph not only made him Swiss Sportsman of the Year, but also earned him the "Swiss Award" in the Sport category. In 2006, as defending champion, he secured eighth place overall.
A new chapter began in 2007: Lüthi switched to the 250cc class and set course for the next challenges on Aprilia. The changeover was successful, and when the Moto2 class was introduced in 2010, Lüthi was right at the front. Between 2010 and 2017, he collected 45 podiums and 11 victories, finished runner-up twice (2016 and 2017) and became one of the most consistent riders in Moto2.
Then the highlight: in 2018, a dream came true when Lüthi was promoted to MotoGP and competed in the premier class for Honda. However, the season was bumpy, with an injury delaying his preparation and presenting him with unforeseen challenges. But giving up? Not an option for the combative Bernese! Lüthi returned to Moto2 in 2019, showed his skills once again on his Kalex and secured third place overall. This catapulted his Moto2 statistics to an impressive 12 victories, 53 podiums and two runner-up world titles. In 2020, Lüthi was once again on the grid with the LIQUI MOLY Intact GP Team - proof that his will to win was unbroken.
2021 was a significant year for Tom Lüthi, as he announced his retirement as an active rider after a 20-year career in the World Motorcycle Championship. Despite a tough final year in Moto2, in which he finished 22nd overall, he made a conscious decision to end his career. His decision also came after the realization that he would rather be involved in the background in the future and support other up-and-coming riders. The challenges of the season and the change in focus encouraged him to take this step.
From 2022, Lüthi used his expertise in a new way: he became a MotoGP TV pundit for Swiss television channel SRF. In this role, he analyzes the races and gives the audience valuable insights into the world of racing, a field in which he himself was successful for many years. His in-depth knowledge and experience make him a sought-after commentator and valuable mentor for fans and up-and-coming riders alike.
