Dries Vanthoor led the No. 24 BMW M Hybrid V8 to pole position for the Rolex 24. Vanthoor clocked a 1:33.895s lap at Daytona International Speedway this afternoon to vault BMW to their very first pole position with the M Hybrid V8. The program has been in operation for 3 years and you could feel the elation as the team celebrated this accomplishment. The BMW M Hybrid V8 has had some highs and lows after a low finish in 7th and 8th in the championship at the end of last season. However, its clear that their pace from the Roar Before the Rolex 24 held true into qualifying.
It may be too soon to say that this is their year to make a run for the championship but pole at Daytona is a great first step. Given the nature of this race drivers and crew alike will be tested to the limit to bring home the glory that is one of the most coveted prizes in motorsport; a Rolex Daytona watch. Every second matters in this race, with countless races being decided on the final lap over the years. The Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona start on Saturday afternoon and run until Sunday afternoon.
Words from the Team
Andreas Roos (Head of BMW M Motorsport): “We are thrilled about the first pole position in the LMDh programme of BMW M Motorsport. To achieve it at a major event like the 24 Hours of Daytona is simply fantastic. Congratulations and thank you to Dries Vanthoor, BMW M Team RLL, and everyone at BMW M Motorsport involved in this success. Now, we need to translate our strong performance into the race, because that’s where it really counts. It’s unfortunate that car #25 couldn’t set a lap time due to an issue with the high-voltage system. Congratulations to Dan Harper and Paul Miller Racing for securing a strong third starting position in the GTD PRO class. A very good result for our BMW M4 GT3 EVO.”
Dries Vanthoor (#24 BMW M Hybrid V8, BMW M Team RLL): “I am very pleased to have secured the first pole position with the BMW M Hybrid V8. It’s a great result and a deserved reward for the hard work of everyone involved in this project. It’s a good start to the season that we can be proud of. But for the race, pole position doesn’t say much. We will continue to give our all to have a reason to celebrate on Sunday as well.”