American Michael Lieb will rejoin the FIM Motocross World Championship this weekend as a fill-in rider on the Monster Energy Yamaha motocross team.
Michael Leib will fill in for the injured Zach Osborne.
Leib, who was a member of the factory Husqvarna squad last year in the GP series but was held back by injuries, returned to the U.S. for 2012 as a privateer in the AMA Supercross Championship. Leib posted a few top finishes in the West Lites class before getting hurt during practice at the San Diego Supercross. But he’s recovered and will compete in the upcoming Grands Prix of Bulgaria and Italy.
The Monster Energy Yamaha team has been besieged by injuries this year, most of them coming just before the start of the 2012 GP season, which included an injury to American Zach Osborne, who broke his collarbone while training for the MX2 class.
Osborne had surgery on the collarbone and recently had the staples removed but isn’t expected to return to action for at least another two months.
Leib has two years of experience on the GP scene, his best finish a seventh at the 2010 Italian Grand Prix.
“I am pumped to have this opportunity to come back to Europe with the Monster Energy Yamaha squad,” Leib said. “It’s a great opportunity to ride outdoors again. I am looking forward to this week.”
