Victory Team’s general manager, Gianfranco Venturelli, has confirmed that 2007 World and European Champion, Arif Saif Al Zafeen, will make a welcome return to racing this season to partner newly crowned 2008 World, Middle East and Edox Pole Position Champion, Nadir Bin Hendi, in Victory 1.

The move sees Al Zafeen and Bin Hendi rekindle a formidable partnership that saw them win the season opener in Qatar last year, before a serious back injury - sustained in a Formula 2 race - sidelined Al Zafeen, with the team drafting in the services of 2001 World Champion, Mohammed Al Marri, to replace him.

Venturelli also said that at this stage, no decision had been taken on the line-up for their second boat.

Al Zafeen made an immediate impact on his Class 1 debut in 2007, winning the Greek Grand Prix in Athens alongside Jean-Marc Sanchez.  The partnership went on to take a further two wins in Norway and Romania to lift the European title, and a fourth in Qatar to clinch the World Championship.