The Victory Team's preferred pairing of Ali Nasser and Ali Al Qama will not race at the season-opening heat of the UIM Class 1 World Powerboat Championship in Plymouth, UK this weekend.

As per an announcement made by the Dubai-based Victory Team, Al Qama and Nasser will not be participating only for the opening race in Plymouth.

The announcement states that Al Qama is not in a position to race owing to health reasons.

However, the partnership is expected to be back in action for the second heat scheduled in Trondheim, Norway on August 5-7.

The Victory Team has made adequate arrangements to fill in the void created by Nasser and Al Qama by drafting in Rashid Al Merri and national jet ski star Nader Bin Hindi to participate in Plymouth in Victory 7.

"The new pairing have spent the winter months in an intensive testing program in the Victory catamarans alongside the rest of Victory Team's stable of stars," one of the Victory Team's spokespersons said from Plymouth.

"This will be a fantastic opportunity for both these new drivers," the team spokesperson added.

The second Victory boat Victory 77 will not have any changes as Mohammad Al Merri and throttleman Jean Marc Sanchez take over.

Nasser and Al Qama are the defending European champions at the UIM Class 1 Powerboat Championships.

"Not participating in the season opener only means that the two Alis will have to postpone the defence of their European crown," the team spokesperson stated.

"Ali [Al Qama] should be feeling much better in a couple of weeks' time. And that time should also give him the motivation to put the Victory 7 campaign back on track."

Victory Team has once again preferred a formidable line-up fielding two boats for the 2005 season.

Despite the likes of defending champions Spirit of Norway, led by Norwegian Bard Eker and Steve Curtis of Great Britain, Victory 7 is still among the favourites for the title this year.

Victory Team combinations have won the world title six times in the past since entering the championship way back in 1993. Their last success came in 2001, and this year they will be yearing to add some more silverware to their cabinet.

Action for the 2005 season starts with 10 teams at the Honda British Grand Prix this Sunday.