SEBRING, Fla. (March 14, 2025) – An interview with Motul Pole Award winners of the 73rd Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring: Alessandro Pier Guidi (Grand Touring Daytona, No. 21 Af Corse Ferrari 296 GT3), Albert Costa (Grand Touring Daytona Pro, No. 81 DragonSpeed Ferrari 296 GT3), Steven Thomas (Le Mans Prototype 2, No. 11 TDS Racing ORECA LMP2 07), and Dries Vanthoor (Grand Touring Prototype/Overall, No. 24 BMW M Team RLL BMW M Hybrid V8).
THE MODERATOR: Thank you for joining us here as we have our Motul Pole Award winners in three of our four classes for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. We’ll start with Alessandro Pier Guidi. Alessandro, good day here for Ferrari. Tell us about the session, what it took to get the pole position here.
ALESSANDRO PIER GUIDI: Yeah, I think was a great session for Ferrari actually. We score the pole. It’s good comeback after Daytona, that was quite tough. I think we manage to have the perfect (indiscernible) of the tires. I went for prep lap to put the tire in. I think that was the key to have the perfect lap.
In the second push was quite good. We work well with Ferrari since yesterday morning where the car was looking strong since FP1. We just did a few changes on the setup to adjust everything. The car was great in the quallie.
Yeah, perfect start of the weekend.
THE MODERATOR: We’ll slide over to Albert Costa, our pole winner in the GTD Pro class. Albert, obviously really good day for Ferrari. Your first pole position. Tell us what that means to be on pole here at Sebring.
ALBERT COSTA: Yeah, I’m not the Ferrari driver, but is a good day for Ferrari. This is a new project. Also for us, from the FP1, the car was really strong. We just keep focused that, okay, at the end we are on pole position.
But the race is very long, and we need to survive the first 10 hours. Last year was a big war out there. I learn a lot from that. Hopefully this year we have a little bit more of luck and we can finally come finish in good position for the race and score points for the championship.
THE MODERATOR: We’ll go to Steven Thomas. Pretty eventful session there. Just tell us about your competition out there and how you were able to overcome them.
STEVEN THOMAS: I think the difference between me and these famous Pro drivers sitting next to me is I have to have the permission of my wife to drive (smiling). First thing I want to do is thank my wife, Emily.
Today, the great thing about the qualifying with all the Bronze is we are all on our limit, right? Here at Sebring with the bumps, that means it’s a very challenging every corner to try to stay on your limit the whole way around.
I had a great car. I think the best thing for us was our Pro drivers, Hunter and Mikel, they coached me up and gave me a chance to get this pole, which I really enjoyed.
THE MODERATOR: We’ll go to questions.
Q. This is a strong showing for Ferrari. Albert, could you speak a little bit about getting your first pole at such an important space in sports car racing.
ALBERT COSTA: He will talk about Ferrari (smiling). But especially, yeah, I just said first pole position is always nice, no? Last year racing in GTD most of the time was Manny on the car. Finally when I got the call that you’re going to be in the car for qualifying, I was like, Whoa, good. First you need a nice car. Also to be with low fuel in new tires is always special. I really enjoy. When you enjoy, you drive better. I think everything was together today. It was very nice to close on pole position. As I said, it’s only pole position. Tomorrow I want to be in the podium, I hope (smiling).
ALESSANDRO PIER GUIDI: As I said, for Ferrari is a great day, especially after let’s say a kind of tough Daytona. Last year we were really strong. This year we struggled a bit. We work hard to come back. We prepare the weekend as best as we could. In the end I think the work pay off. Of course, it’s just a pole position of a 12 hour. Still long way to go. I always prefer to start in the front, though.
Q. Alessandro, you were among a few of the Pros that qualified in GTD. Is that a symptom of the fact that it’s a 12-hour race to try to get up front? What went into that?
ALESSANDRO PIER GUIDI: Actually, I think first of all, the pole position is some few points for the championship, so is important. Then in Sebring is not easy to overtake. Good to start without the traffic in the front row. I think that’s why someone decide to qualifying with the Pros. I think last month we score point every four hour. It could be important to stay in a good position after the first four hours.
This is I think at least why we decide to qualifying with myself. Let’s hope the strategy is good.
Q. Steven, obviously it’s a team effort with a platinum and silver codriver. As you pointed out, the bronze qualifying makes it somewhat unique. How much more pride does that give you when you get to go out and qualify?
STEVEN THOMAS: Honestly, if the bronze didn’t get to qualify, I’m not sure I’d do the race.
There is a time. We have a minimum drive time, which is generous in IMSA and it’s a ton of fun. At the end of the day with so many yellows, it seems like everyone is stacked up at the end and the Pros are racing for the win.
To be able to qualify with the bronze, it means so much because you feel like you’re really contributing to the win at the end of the day.
We also start the race. Anything can happen at the start. You give your chance to put your team in a good position. I think qualifying means a lot to all the bronzes, and it really makes us a factor in the race, which is what we want.
THE MODERATOR: Gentlemen, appreciate you joining us. Thanks for coming in.
THE MODERATOR: We are now joined by our overall pole award winner here for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, Dries Vanthoor.
Dries, congratulations on another pole position. Kind of an abbreviated qualifying session there with the red flag. When that happens, what does it take to stick a lap in to get you on the pole?
DRIES VANTHOOR: Yeah, first of all, a big thanks to the team and BMW for giving me a car to fight for pole.
Yeah, it changes a lot. You only get two laps at the end. Anyway, it was planned maybe to get three or maybe four, depending how fast we can do the out laps. Then you have to change a bit your procedure, have to go as fast as you can on the out lap and push. That’s what I did. It worked.
THE MODERATOR: Question for Dries.
Q. I notice that you did take tires while you were waiting to come back out for the last part. Do you feel that was beneficial to you being able to get that lap time? How were the tires doing?
DRIES VANTHOOR: Fine. It was anyway our goal to go for two sets, no matter if it was going to go red flag or not. 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.
Q. In a situation like that with a red flag, a lot of pressure due to the lack of time, how does it make you feel? Does it amp you up?
DRIES VANTHOOR: Yeah, a bit because it’s the only shot. Normally on a normal qualifying session you maybe get two chances. Now you only had one. It makes a bit more pressure to get that lap together. It makes it a bit more difficult.
But yeah, it makes me a bit, how I would say, fired up or nervous, fired up at the same time. Looks like it’s working (smiling).
Q. Safe to say you’re enjoying the move into IMSA full-time so far?
DRIES VANTHOOR: So far is going very well. But yeah, I’m really enjoying. Sebring is the first time for me here, so I’m really enjoying the track. It’s something different to what I’ve been used to, especially with all the bumps. It’s nice. I’m enjoying it a lot so far.
Q. Can you touch base on picking up the pole on a special weekend for BMW with it being the 50th anniversary celebration.
DRIES VANTHOOR: Yeah, I mean, all the things especially for the 50th anniversary. I was speaking to Andreas (Roos, Head of BMW M Motorsport) two minutes before qualifying, we were having a laugh that it was the race they did here 50 years ago.
It’s a good thing now, especially with our livery, we got here, it’s a nice thing to be on pole and to have that car. Having some nice screen time in the beginning of the race, hopefully.
Q. Have you ever had the opportunity as a BMW driver to drive one of the CSL Batmobiles?
DRIES VANTHOOR: No, this is something I would start to have a chat about to try those cars, or at least have a run on them. They look amazing. They are nice, historical cars. I would love to have a drive on them. When I walk back, I’m going to have a chat about that (smiling).
THE MODERATOR: Congratulations and good luck tomorrow.
DRIES VANTHOOR: Thank you.
