Saudi racer Reema Juffali expressed her delight to have finished “one of the most difficult” motorsport races as she claimed victory in the Bronze Cup class at the 24 Hours of Spa.
Lining up for SPS Automotive Performance team in Belgium, Reema shared driving duties with team-mates Valentin Pierburg, George Kurtz and Tim Müller in the Mercedes-AMG GT3 #20.
Having produced a commanding performance to secure pole position, the quartet had to overcome a number of obstacles during the race including extensive repairs to their shock absorber before a not-at-fault collision with another team in the pit lane.
But they eventually battled back into the lead with Reema crossing the finish line to secure first place in the Bronze Cup category.
Speaking of the impressive result, Reema, said: “For me, just finishing the race was going to be an achievement in itself. We were always on our toes and we needed to keep evolving whether driving at night or avoiding the debris on the track. It was by far the most challenging and difficult race that I’ve been part of. When it came to the last few laps, I couldn’t believe that the race was coming to an end – it just felt like we had been driving forever.”
She added: “The podium finish was the icing on the cake and it made the race so much sweeter and more memorable but it really feels like my first 24 Hours race. The podium was a gift but finishing is more than enough for me.
“I definitely wouldn’t be here today without the team and my team-mates and it wasn’t an easy feat to achieve and I am feeling very accomplished.”
As founder and one of the drivers of Theeba Motorsport, Reema has been putting her skills and knowledge to the test during the International GT Open. She believes her experience in Spa will be invaluable for her development going forward.
“The experience that I have gained is everything,” she said. “We had so many good moments during the race and it will teach me so much going forward. If this is one of the toughest races out there, then I’m glad I have experienced this now. I don’t have any easy benchmarks now and I now have a good outlook going into the future races that I do.”
The weekend also saw six female drivers including Reema compete during the 24 Hours of Spa with five triumphing in their class.
Reema was delighted to see the drivers take to the track in one of the most popular motorsport races and shows that the sport is going in the right direction.
She explained: “It is really important to have not just have females in the sport but also to see women competing in the top level and winning. This is what will change the conversation and allow the next generation to believe in themselves and follow their dreams.”
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