Cal Crutchlow leaves Ducati for Honda?

UPDATE: Ducati has since confirmed that Cal Crutchlow will leave and be replaced by Andrea Iannone for 2015, with LCR then confirming that Crutchlow will join the team.

Cal Crutchlow could be set to leave the factory Ducati MotoGP team and switch to LCR Honda for 2015.

Despite being publicly confirmed as staying at the Italian team during World Ducati Week, Speedweek subsequently revealed that negotiations were ongoing with LCR.

Crutchlow has an opt-out clause in his Ducati contract allowing him to leave at the end of this year, or remain alongside the newly re-signed Andrea Dovizioso for 2015.

The deadline for that clause was July 31 - after World Ducati Week - meaning Crutchlow still had time to make a final decision.

Crash.net understands that clarification on Crutchlow's 2015 plans could be made later today (Saturday).

If Crutchlow does move to LCR it would be in place of Stefan Bradl, while Andrea Iannone would step up to the factory Ducati team alongside fellow Italian Dovizioso.

At WDW, Ducati MotoGP Project Director Paolo Ciabatti had stated: "Dovizioso has renewed his contract this morning, Cal has a contract with us for next season and he will continue in the 'official' team next year. Iannone has done even better than we expected and we want him to stay with us."

Crutchlow, who missed Argentina due to a hand injury, is just 14th in the world championship - a far cry from fifth overall, including poles and podiums, while at Tech 3 Yamaha last season.