Phil Quaife enjoyed a successful run in the 2011 Dubai 24 Hours race, claiming third in the A3T class and 19th overall in his MSW Racing Seat Leon Super Copa. Making his fifth consecutive appearance at the event, he had a nearly trouble free race alongside team mates Jon Simmonds, Andre Ramdhanny and Raed Hassan.
It was his first appearance in a front wheel-drive car for over three years, but the only worry for the 24 year old came when one of his team mates had a minor incident, forcing the car into the pits for repairs. However only six laps were lost, allowing the team to take the class podium, with Quaife setting the race's fastest lap for a Seat Leon Super Copa in the process.
Commenting on the result, Quaife said : “It's always a great achievement to finish on the podium of a 24 hour race so I'm really happy with the result. The Seat's a bit different to what I've been racing recently but I was soon back in the groove. It was great fun to drive, especially in the corners where the entry speed is tremendous thanks to its aero.
“By the end of qualifying we'd found a really good set-up which made a big difference in the race. But of course, pace is only one part of the equation in endurance racing. You need the car to be reliable and to that end MSW Racing deserve a lot of credit. The Seat was so well prepared and ran faultlessly, so a big thank you to the team. I can't wait to do it all over again next season.”
Quaife is also enjoying a successful run in the UAE GT Championship at the moment, with the Kent based driver currently leading the championship after a win and a second place in the latest two rounds. He will next compete in the series alongside Simmonds in Abu Dhabi next month.