Autosport Top 50 of 2024: #30 Dries Vanthoor

The world already knew the abilities of the youthful Vanthoor brother aboard a GT3 automotive. He’s been one of the constant performers within the class for 2 completely different producers – Audi and now BMW – for ages.

However in 2024 he confirmed that he’ll be a power in prototypes in coming years. Identical to sibling Laurens at Porsche 12 months earlier than, he took to an LMDh hybrid instantly, and each, it ought to be identified, had minimal expertise at the beginning of their prototype journey. Dries shortly emerged because the star driver within the pair of M Hybrid V8s.

Versatile Vanthoor’s ongoing studying course of

“Not one in all my finest years”. Dries Vanthoor has obtained it unsuitable when he describes a season that propelled him to his highest place but within the Autosport High 50.

The one factor lacking was a championship win, which explains his downbeat evaluation. He’s obtained used to successful them over time and narrowly missed out on the GT World Problem Europe general title and a fourth Dash Cup crown.

Vanthoor raced 26 occasions in 2024. Swapping backwards and forwards from prototype to GT equipment wasn’t straightforward to begin with, however as soon as he made it a behavior, it was solely of worth to his driving.

“You might be all the time studying as a driver, and you may take issues backwards and forwards between the 2 sorts of automotive,” he says. “I realized a factor or two.”

Achievements in numerous sorts of automotive provide some form of validation for a driver’s skills, reckons Vanthoor: “In order for you to have the ability to name your self a prime driver, you will have to have the ability to drive something – and be fast in 4 or 5 laps.”

When requested about his finest race performances of ’24, not counting his lap to prime opening qualifying at Le Mans, Vanthoor choses one from every sportscar self-discipline. The drive to second with WEC team-mates Marco Wittmann and Raffaele Marciello at Fuji is his prototype choose, third place on the Spa 24 Hours with Charles Weerts and Sheldon van der Linde is the one he plumps for from his GT campaigns.

Vanthoor’s programme for 2025 will include taking on both the WEC and IMSA SportsCar Championship. A racer right down to his boots, he loved a one-off in British GT this yr at Silverstone and will get excited on the point out of Donington Park, a circuit he’s but to go to.

“If I’ve the prospect to go there, for certain I take it,” he says. “I’d prefer to strive it.”

Vanthoor charges extremely his efficiency at Fuji to assert a maiden WEC podium for BMW’s Hypercar undertaking

Photograph by: JEP / Motorsport Photographs