MotoGP star Andrea Dovizioso looks set to take a year out from road racing to race motocross and set up a Motocross Academy for young riders. Dovi has split with Ducati and talks to stay in MotoGP again next year with Yamaha and Honda seem to have broken down.

Dovi and his manager, Simone Battistella, are close to announcing the rider will take a sabbatical to dedicate himself to the passion of his life, motocross!

The idea would be for Dovi to race MX and exploit his popularity and sponsors to create a school for young motocross talents, along the lines of the road racing scheme run by Valentino Rossi with his VR Academy.

Earlier this year Dovi did an Italian regional championship race and was running near the front until he fell and broke his collarbone. Dovi is a regular visitor to MXGP races in his native Italy.