Crutchlow has had 10 podium finishes in 2008

Cal Crutchlow is to leave the HM Plant Honda British Superbike team at the end of the season, and move to the factory Yamaha World Supersport team.

In his first year with the Louth-based outfit Coventry's Crutchlow has won two races and is fourth in the standings.

He said: "It's always sad to leave a team, especially one as well-run as this, but I've never made a secret of my desire to move onto the world stage.

"Now is the time to do that with the opportunity I've been presented with."

It is not yet known if Crutchlow's team-mate Leon Haslam will remain with HM Plant Honda for 2009, after they committed to the British Championships.

However it is believed that Haslam, who lies second in the British Championships behind Airwaves Ducati's Shane Byrne, has already signed a deal to race in World Superbikes with the Stiggy Motorsport team.

With third-placed Tom Sykes having signed up for the Yamaha Italia World Superbike team and Byrne also thought to be moving up to that series, it could be that the top four in this season's championship will be absent from the 2009 BSB grid.