Inaugural Moto2 world champion Toni Elias will be replaced at the Avintia Blusens team by Argentine rookie Ezequiel Iturrioz for the remainder of this season.

Elias took seven wins on a Gresini Moriwaki to scoop the 2010 crown, but hasn't taken a podium since that season and is just 18th in this year's championship on the title-leading Kalex chassis.

The Spaniard, a full time grand prix rider since 2000, is now 'in negotiations' regarding a move to the World Superbike Championship.

Spurred by his 2010 Moto2 title success, on a Gresini-Moriwaki, Elias returned to the MotoGP class - where he famously won the dramatic 2006 Portuguese round - with Honda LCR for 2011. However Elias managed only 15th in the standings and dropped back to Moto2 with Aspar the following year.

That partnership lasted just half a season, with Elias later racing for Italtrans and then remaining on a Kalex chassis for the start of this season, with Blusens. Elias' start-of-year team-mate Kyle Smith has already been replaced at Avintia by Dani Rivas.