Karel Abraham has posted an emotional tribute after losing his place at the Reale Avintia Ducati team for 2020, which opens up a place set to be filled by Johann Zarco.

Despite taking part in the post-Valencia MotoGP test on the GP19s to be used by the Avintia squad next season and with one year left on his contract at the team, the Czech Republic rider appears to have been axed from its 2020 line-up after it became clear the team, Dorna, French GP promoters and Ducati tried to find space for Zarco.

In between a series of reposted tributes from fans following confirmation he would be leaving MotoGP, Abraham has reacted to the decision on his Instagram Stories on his personal account.

“Thank you everyone for the nice words. It made me angry, very disappointed, but especially sad,” Abraham wrote.

“This is the last video of me on the MotoGP bike. At the time I had no idea I was going to enjoy my last laps on the ‘beast’.”

Abraham’s MotoGP exit was confirmed in social media posts by the Brno Circuit, owned by Abraham's father, stating Karel had announced his exit from MotoGP during a meet and greet with fans on Saturday night: “@karel_abraham17 at a meeting with fans announced the end in @motogp... It is a sad day for all domestic fans.”

Abraham made his Grand Prix debut in 2005 in the 125cc class before stepping up to 250cc in 2007 and claiming his sole GP victory in the 2010 Valencia Moto2 race.

The 29-year-old has raced Ducati, Aprilia (ART) and Honda machinery during eight yeas in the premier class, initially for his father’s Cardion AB team, then Aspar and finally Avintia.

Abraham, whose best MotoGP finish was seventh place, has also spent one season in the World Superbike championship back in 2016 season when he competed for Milwaukee BMW.

Avintia hasn’t officially announced either Abraham’s exit or Zarco’s arrival, but the French rider could make his debut for the team at the two-day Jerez test which starts on Monday.

If Zarco remains out of action at Jerez, with the two-time Moto2 world champion nursing ankle ligament damage after being accidentally hit by Iker Leucona’s Tech3 KTM, he would have to wait until the Sepang pre-season test next February for his first experience on a Ducati.