ROLEX 24 AT DAYTONA

January 23, 2025

Dries Vanthoor

Media Conference

THE MODERATOR: We now have our overall and GTP class Motul Pole Award winner in the No. 24 BMW M Team RLL BMW M Hybrid V-8, Dries Vanthoor. His best lap was 1:33.895 seconds.

This is his first career WeatherTech Sports Car championship pole position and the first GTP pole for the BMW M Hybrid V-8. Dries, congratulations. Obviously the session came together late as far as the quick times right at the very end. Tell us about what you had to do to bring home a pole.

DRIES VANTHOOR: Yeah, for sure it wasn't easy with the red flag. It made tire warming a bit more difficult for everyone, I guess. Yeah, I think we've been improving on that quite a lot, especially over the last year, which has been a big struggle point for us last year.

But it seems it was working out today, and then it was just all about getting the lap together and trying to do the best that I could, and that worked out luckily. Yeah, very happy.

Q. You're wearing a winter coat and stocking hat. Is it cold in the car?

DRIES VANTHOOR: Yeah, a bit cold. I also get cold -- it's getting a bit on me, so I need to make sure it doesn't go too much. It's a long race to go, so I have to stay fresh, but especially when you come out, when you're sweating, when it's that cold you get sick easily, so I don't want to get sick. That's the last thing that would be nice going into a 24-hour race.

Q. Dries, obviously last weekend your cars were quick the entire Roar. Do you feel like this validates that performance from last week, as well?

DRIES VANTHOOR: Well, yeah. I guess you could say so. Last week we were also looking strong, and we are again looking strong. We've been working hard, and I think it's nice to see for everyone here and also working back at the factory and everywhere that it's working, and I think everybody can be happy and proud of that.

But again, it's a little cherry on a big cake, so there's still a big thing still to happen, and that's the race, and this can go any way. It's a long ways to go.

Q. Have you learned the reason why the other cars stopped, and did that cause you any concern during the red flag?

DRIES VANTHOOR: You mean what caused the red flag?

Q. Yeah.

DRIES VANTHOOR: Yeah, no, I did not know the exact reason what happened to them. Unfortunately they couldn't continue the session. But no, I do not know the exact reason why they stopped.