Dries Vanthoor made headlines after clinching the 2025 IMSA Sebring 12 Hours pole position for BMW M Team RLL in the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class.
The remarkable achievement which came as BMW celebrates its 50th anniversary, marked its continued dominance in endurance racing with the Belgian driver securing his second consecutive pole position of the season, following his success at the Rolex 24 at Daytona earlier this year.
Dries Vanthoor, in his debut appearance at Sebring International Raceway, delivered a stunning lap time of 1:47.091 in the No. 24 BMW M Hybrid V8 to claim Sebring 12 Hours pole position, edging out Acura Meyer Shank’s Tom Blomqvist by a mere 0.025 seconds.
The GTP qualifying session was not without drama. A red flag was triggered early on when Jack Aitken’s No. 31 Cadillac Whelen V-Series.R stalled on track, significantly reducing the available time for drivers to set competitive laps.
The interruption added pressure to the remaining competitors as they were left with only one or two flying laps to make their mark on Sebring’s challenging 3.74-mile circuit.
For Vanthoor and his BMW M Team RLL, however, this adversity proved manageable. The team strategically switched to a second set of tires during the pause, allowing Vanthoor to maximize grip and secure the Sebring 12 Hours pole position once the session resumed.
“It was anyway our goal to go for two sets, no matter if it was going to go red flag or not,” Dries Vanthoor said. “It made it a bit more difficult because we had the shorter time to get the tires in.
“It worked out fine. It’s hot enough today, so the tires came in quite well on the second lap. The first lap was a bit too early, but it worked out.”
Tom Blomqvist’s performance in the No. 60 Acura ARX-06 was equally impressive, as he came within fractions of a second of dethroning Vanthoor from pole position. Despite narrowly missing out, Blomqvist demonstrated Acura’s competitiveness and will start alongside Vanthoor on the front row.
Blomqvist expressed frustration over traffic issues following the red flag but remained optimistic about his team’s prospects for the race.
“The car is good and feels fast,” he said. “We just got ourselves in a difficult spot there with the traffic and our track position following the red flag.
“It was a little frustrating for us, I was just trying to complete my lap, but in the end the Sebring 12 Hours pole position just wasn’t meant to be.
“It’s a bit disappointing because I think our Acura had the pace to fight for first. It’s a long race, so your starting position isn’t the most important factor, but we’ll see what tomorrow brings!”
Meanwhile, Felipe Nasr rounded out the top three qualifiers in the GTP class with a solid performance in the No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport Penske 963, continuing Porsche’s strong form after their victory at Daytona earlier this year.
Full 2025 IMSA Sebring 12 Hours Qualifying Results
In other categories, Steven Thomas claimed Sebring 12 Hours pole position in the LMP2 class with a lap time of 1:51.804 in the No. 11 TDS Racing entry.
Thomas credited his co-drivers and coaching for helping him achieve this milestone, marking an impressive showing for a bronze-rated driver.
Meanwhile, Ferrari dominated both GTD PRO and GTD classes showcasing their prowess in GT racing.
Albert Costa captured Sebring 12 Hours pole position for DragonSpeed in GTD PRO with a lap time of 1:59.225 in the Ferrari 296 GT3, while Alessandro Pier Guidi earned top honors in GTD with a slightly faster lap of 1:59.131 for AF Corse.
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The qualifying session underscored Sebring’s reputation as one of endurance racing’s most demanding circuits. Known for its bumpy surface and technical layout, the track challenges both drivers and machines alike making it an ideal preparation ground for teams targeting success at Le Mans later in the year.
The Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring is also steeped in history, celebrating its 73rd running this year and marking BMW’s 50th anniversary since their first victory at this iconic event.
Vanthoor’s achievement is particularly significant as he embarks on his first full season in IMSA’s premier division. Sharing driving duties with Philipp Eng and Kevin Magnussen, Vanthoor has quickly established himself as a key contender in endurance racing.
The green flag for the 2025 IMSA Sebring 12 Hours will wave at 10:10 AM EDT on Saturday, promising intense competition across all classes as teams battle for victory on one of motorsport’s most storied stages.
