Dries Vanthoor delivered yet another masterclass in qualifying to secure the 2025 IMSA Long Beach pole position in a BMW front row lockout for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.
The 26-year-old Belgian sensation claimed his third consecutive pole position this season with a blistering lap of 1:11.539 in the No. 24 BMW M Hybrid V8 edging out teammate Sheldon van der Linde in the No. 25 BMW by 0.25 seconds.
Dries Vanthoor’s 2025 IMSA Long Beach pole position marks BMW’s third straight pole this season, reinforcing their status as the team to beat in single-lap performance across vastly different circuits from Daytona’s high banks to Long Beach’s tight street layout.
Vanthoor’s lap around the 1.968-mile temporary street circuit was a study in precision as he navigated the concrete-lined track with surgical accuracy.
The Belgian driver initially trailed van der Linde who held provisional pole with five minutes remaining but a late-session charge saw Vanthoor shave critical tenths off his time ultimately securing the top spot.
Van der Linde’s 1:11.789 in the sister car ensured an all-BMW front row, a repeat of their practice session dominance where the pair traded fastest laps.
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IMSA Long Beach FP2: Vanthoor leads second consecutive BMW 1-2 finish
Long Beach IMSA 2025: Van der Linde leads BMW 1-2 in opening practice
The performance underscored BMW’s engineering excellence, particularly in optimizing hybrid powertrain deployment and mechanical grip on low-grip surfaces.
Behind the Bavarian machines, Porsche Penske Motorsport locked out the second row with Nick Tandy placing third in the No. 7 Porsche 963 (1:11.9s) and Mathieu Jaminet fourth in the No. 6 entry (1:12.268).
The Porsche duo was significantly gapped by the BMWs with Tandy nearly half a second adrift of Vanthoor’s benchmark.
Meyer Shank Racing’s Acuras followed with Nick Yelloly taking fifth in the No. 60 ARX-06 (1:12.414) and Tom Blomqvist sixth in the No. 93, both struggling to match the BMWs’ corner-exit traction.
Cadillac’s Jack Aitken (#31 Action Express) and Filipe Albuquerque (#310 Wayne Taylor Racing) slotted into seventh and eighth, respectively, while the No. 85 JDC Miller Porsche of Tijmen van der Helm and the No. 40 WTR Cadillac of Louis Deletraz rounded out the top ten.
Ross Gunn’s No. 23 Aston Martin Valkyrie, the sole representative of the British marque, languished in 11th, highlighting the team’s ongoing challenges in balancing downforce and drivability.
Thompson takes IMSA Long Beach pole in GTD
In the GT Daytona (GTD) class, Parker Thompson continued his love affair with the street circuit, claiming 2025 IMSA Long Beach pole position in the No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 for the second consecutive year.
Thompson’s 1:17.877 lap edged out AO Racing’s Jonny Edgar in the fan-favorite “Rexy” Porsche 911 GT3.R (1:17.937) by a mere 0.060 seconds, showcasing the razor-thin margins in GT3 competition.
The top five qualifiers represented five manufacturers with Tom Gamble third in the No. 27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin (1:17.939), Manny Franco fourth in the No. 34 Conquest Racing Ferrari (1:18.168), and Patrick Gallagher fifth in Turner Motorsport’s No. 96 BMW M4 GT3 EVO (1:18.275).
Thompson’s performance was a testament to Vasser Sullivan’s street-circuit expertise, as the team optimized the Lexus’s suspension for the bumpy surface and minimal run-off areas.
Franke Montecalvo secured sixth in the sister No. 89 Lexus (1:18.372), while reigning GTD champion Russell Ward placed seventh in Winward Racing’s No. 57 Mercedes-AMG GT3 (1:18.378).
Notable struggles included the No. 45 WTR Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 of Danny Formal, which managed only an installation lap after mechanical issues in practice.
The qualifying session underscored the evolving competitive landscape in IMSA’s top categories. BMW’s GTP dominance contrasts with their race-day results, as the team seeks to convert the 2025 IMSA Long Beach pole position into victory after a best finish of fourth back at Daytona.
As the 50th anniversary running of the iconic Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach approaches, all eyes will be on whether BMW can break their victory drought and if Thompson can convert his pole into back-to-back Long Beach wins.
