Kent-based racing driver Phil Quaife scored a podium finish on his debut at the iconic Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit in Germany at the weekend, finishing third in the SP10 class of the VLN Endurance Championship.
Home to the German Grand Prix until 1976, the legendary 12.93-mile track, nicknamed the ‘Green Hell’, is notoriously difficult for any racing driver to master, but having driven strongly in Friday’s practice session and Saturday’s qualifying, Quaife was immediately on the pace of his class rivals during the four-hour event.
In a field of more than 200 cars, Quaife shared a Bonk Motorsport-run, GT4-spec BMW M3 with his Le Mans Series co-driver Adam Christodoulou and drove faultlessly during his pair of one-hour stints, bringing the car home at the finish in a fine third place.
“It was mind blowing,” said a delighted Quaife at the end of the race. “I did some work beforehand on the simulator and also watched a few videos, but nothing can really prepare you for the Nordschleife!
“It really was an incredible experience to race at this circuit in a field of 200 cars and to have ended my first weekend with a podium is great. Every racing driver should come and experience the Nordschleife at least once in their lifetime.”
Quaife, who will also make his Nurburgring 24 Hours debut later this year, will take in further rounds of the VLN series, which is held exclusively at the Nordschleife, for the team this season and is already eagerly awaiting his return to the track in the Eifel Mountains.
“I’m looking forward to coming back already,” he confirmed. “This weekend was a great learning experience. Obviously it’s a very long circuit, unlike anything else I’ve ever driven, so it takes more time to learn, but I know where I can find even more lap time.”
Meanwhile, Quaife heads to another iconic circuit this week as he travels to Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium for the second round of the Le Mans Series, the Spa 6 Hours, where he will again team-up with Christodoulou and Klaas Hummel in CRS Racing’s LM GTE Am class Ferrari F430.
