Sport 360 Anthony Fernandez Dubai Victory Team have confirmed that defending world champion Nadir bin Hendi will not race in the final UIM Class 1 Grand Prix of the year.

The final round of the championship is currently underway at the Dubai International Marine Club, where first practice was held this morning. Race 1 will be at 2pm on Friday and Race 2 at the same time on Saturday.

A brief statement said, "we have an internal issue regarding Nadir," but did not elaborate on the issues that sees the world champion dropped at a time when Victory Team is within sight of a Class 1 Grand Slam - the World, European, Middle East and EDOX Pole Position titles.

Victory team have already sealed the European title in Italy last month and lead the points table for the other three titles in the championship. The statement said Bin Hendi has been replaced by double World Champion Mohammed Al Marri.

The move sees the 2001 and 2008 champion teaming-up with three-times and defending world champion Arif Al Zafeen.

Al Marri made his Class 1 debut in 2000, finishing runner-up in the title race - a feat he also achieved in 2005 and 2006 - taking his first World Championship in 2001 with Saeed Al Tayer.

He stepped back from competitive racing at the end of 2006, but made a spectacular return in 2008 to replace the injured Arif Al Zafeen, going on to triple Championship success, winning his second world title and the Middle East and Pole Position Championships with Bin Hendi.

Mohammed has competed in 71 Grands Prix, winning 13 and finishing on the podium 33 times