SUPERBIKE ace Neil Hodgson has admitted he fancies making a sensational switch to Grand Prix racing next season.

The Burnley bike legend heads for California's Laguna Seca this weekend hoping to take another vital step towards his first ever World Superbike crown.

But all the talk currently dominating the pit-lane is centred around the Ducati rider's plans for next season.

And Hodgson confesses the chance to prove himself in GPs may help to silence doubters like Carl Fogarty after his Blackburn rival has repeatedly poured scorn on his achievements this season.

"There has been a lot of talk about me leaving World Superbikes next season, but nothing has been decided yet," said Hodgson.

"What I can say is that Ducati have told me that they are thinking about running me on a grand-prix bike.

"In the end the decision will be made for me. I'll go where I'm told but I'd love to do something that Carl Fogarty never really did and use MotoGP as a yardstick to match myself against the world's best.

"I've made no secret of the fact I want to test myself against the best riders and these days they are in MotoGP.

"So If Ducati made me the right offer then I'd be happy to race in GPs but I'm certainly not thinking about next year just yet."

Hodgson is running away with the World Superbike Championship after a brilliant first half to the season.

And he's aiming to extend his whopping 107-point advantage over Ducati team-mate Ruben Xaus with another double-winning weekend in the States on what is one of his favourite circuits.

"It's one of my favourite tracks, but it is quite dangerous," said Hodgson.

"When I raced there in 1998 for Kawasaki, my team-mate Akira Yanagawa, nearly died after a collision with Doug Chandler.

"The marshals thought he had been killed and were shouting "he's dead, he's dead."

"There was a lot of blood in his helmet because he had bitten through his tongue and lost some teeth.

"But in the garage his wife was asking what had happened. It was hard lining up for the second race after that and then there was another crash at the start in which Aaron Slight was hurt, everyone just wanted to go home.

"Yanagawa's crash happened at The Corkscrew, which is an incredible dipping turn.

"It is only after four days of practice that you finally feel you are getting to grips with it.

"The first time I went through it I ran over the kerb and into the gravel.

"But the adrenalin rush when you peer over the crest and the bike goes light is just incredible."

As for the title itself, Hodgson is refusing to take anything for granted.

"It sounds dull and cliched, but I am taking one race at a time.

"I am in a very strong position in the championship, but there are still a lot of races left and I am taking nothing for granted."