Controversial Frenchman Christophe Pourcel has been confirmed for Kawasaki Team CLS Monster Energy in the MX1 Motocross World Championship.

The 2006 MX2 World Champion has been the centre of attention this season after winning multiple AMA Lites titles in recent years, however he was unable to secure a fulltime ride on a 450 for this season.

Pourcel briefly joined the MotoConcepts Yamaha team for the opening Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship rounds, but that deal turned sour and the pair separated last month.

Now, Pourcel has been in Europe testing the KX450F of New Zealand’s Ben Townley, confirmed to be returning to GP racing for the second half of 2011.

“I’m happy to be back with Team CLS, who offered me a nice challenge,” Pourcel said. “I know the team and I’m sure that we will do a great job together. I know the 450 Kawasaki well as I’ve been training on this bike in Florida.

“I will be back alongside my former mechanic Jeremy Fontaine who was already working with me in 2006 when I won the world title. I’ve also been working in the past with Yann Lozano, so that makes it even easier to soon be ready to join the MX1 World Championship.”

Team manager Jean Jacques Luisetti said it was a straightforward decision to offer Pourcel a position when Townley opted to return to NZ in a bid to reach 100 percent fitness.

“For a team manager it’s a dream to have Christophe on his staff, as he is one of the best riders in the world, and I’m glad to see him on one of our bikes,” he explained.

“Our MX1 Kawasaki became available since Ben Townley decided to take a break from racing, and it was necessary for us to find another rider to respect our commitments to our sponsors and partners.

“We contacted Christophe, and when he confirmed to us that he was interested in our project and free of any other contractual obigations we did our best to find a deal.”

Pourcel’s return GP with Kawasaki hasn’t yet been confirmed.