Image of the Week: A Down-Under Victory

No, this picture wasn’t taken in Australia, but rather in the Middle East at today’s Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM) Class 1 World Championship Abu Dhabi (UAE) Grand Prix.

Victory Team Australia finished off an impressive showing by winning the first race of the Class 1 World Championship Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Photo courtesy Class 1

In the final weekend of the Class 1 season, Nadir Bin Hendi made a dream return to the series earlier today by winning the first race of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix alongside Darren Nicholson in Victory Team Australia in their first outing together.

It was an emotional moment for the four-time world champion competing in Class 1 for the first time following a two-year ban for testing positive in an anti-doping test at the Italian Grand Prix in October 2011. The win came at the expense of teammates and championship leaders Arif Al Zaffain and Mohammed Al Marri, who led for eight of the 10 laps when, for the second time in two races, a broken propeller robbed the Victory Team the chance to close out the title race.

Today’s result cuts Victory’s lead at the top of the points standings to 16 with Victory Team Australia and Zabo-Isiklar now tied in second place with 80 points. With a maximum 20 points still up for grabs, the championship will be decided in the final race of the season on Friday at 2:30 p.m. GST (5:30 a.m. EST).