Image: Supplied.

Italian Andrea Iannone has confirmed he will depart Team Suzuki Ecstar at the end of the 2018 MotoGP World Championship, breaking the news on Thursday afternoon at Mugello.

Despite finishing on the podium twice in five races to date this year, the 28-year-old will exit the Hamamatsu-based factory organisation following Valencia, but expects to confirm his future as soon as next week.

“We’ve worked for my future and my relationship with Suzuki at the end of the season is closed,” Iannone revealed. “This year started really well but last year was very difficult for us, so we choose two different ways, but I will try my best from here until the end of the season and Suzuki will try and support me 100 percent until Valencia. For sure in one week, everyone will know about my future.”

With Iannone primarily linked to be joining Aleix Espargaro at Aprilia for next season, it is current Moto3 world champion Joan Mir who is the favourite to ride alongside Alex Rins on-board the factory GSX-RR from 2019.