BMW M Racing Academy | BMW M Motorsport

In early November, a total of twelve candidates were invited to Munich, Germany, to participate in the selection process for the BMW M Racing Academy. The programme offered unique challenges not typically accessible to customer racers. Candidates underwent a session in the BMW M Motorsport simulator, which is normally reserved for BMW M works drivers. Formula Medicine experts tested their physical and mental capabilities. The programme also included a setup session using the automotive gaming simulator on the iRacing platform and an interview with BMW M Motorsport’s communication experts.

Dirk Adorf

The selection process results determined the four members of the “Class of 2025”: Nerea Martí, Berkay Besler, Matthew Million, and Niels Tröger. This quartet impressed BMW M Motorsport’s decision-makers during a rigorous selection process and will undergo a unique development programme in 2025, unparalleled in customer racing. Former BMW M works driver Dirk Adorf will mentor the participants and contribute his extensive experience from previous talent development initiatives, including the BMW Junior Team. Current M works drivers Jens Klingmann and Max Hesse will also support the participants as mentors.

Björn Lellmann at the BMW M Racing Academy — Björn Lellmann

Our customers have always played an exceptionally important role for us, and with the BMW M Racing Academy, we are further strengthening our commitment. Congratulations to our four selected members of the ‘Class of 2025. They will experience a programme next year that provides insights previously reserved for works racing.

Björn Lellmann , Head of Customer Racing at BMW M Motorsport

"Class of 2025."

The "Class of 2025" has successfully completed the first half of the coaching programme. Berkay Besler (TUR), Nerea Martí (ESP), Matt Million (USA) and Niels Tröger (GER) have clocked up many valuable test kilometres in the BMW M2 Racing, trained at Formula Medicine and gained exclusive and detailed insights behind the scenes during factory assignments with BMW M Motorsport.

Programme participants Nerea Martí (ESP), driver for BMW Spain in the Iberian Supercars Series, and Berkay Besler (TUR), driver for Turkish racing team Borusan Otomotiv Motorsport, with programme mentor Dirk Adorf (GER) behind the scenes at the FIA World Endurance Championship race in Imola.

22-year-old Nerea Martí (ESP) during special training in Viareggio, Italy, at Formula Medicine, the go-to destination for some of the world's best racing drivers looking to optimise their physical and mental strengths.

Oxygen saturation, pulse and blood pressure precisely monitored: 22-year-old BMW M Racing Academy participant Nils Tröger (GER), BMW M4 GT4 driver for FK Performance Motorsport, during cardio training in Formula Medicine's special gym.

As part of the BMW M Racing Academy training programme, 24-year-old Matthew Million (USA) was given the opportunity to take an exclusive look behind the scenes at the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race in Laguna Seca.

Programme participants Nerea Martí (ESP), driver for BMW Spain in the Iberian Supercars Series, and Berkay Besler (TUR), driver for Turkish racing team Borusan Otomotiv Motorsport, with programme mentor Dirk Adorf (GER) behind the scenes at the FIA World Endurance Championship race in Imola.

22-year-old Nerea Martí (ESP) during special training in Viareggio, Italy, at Formula Medicine, the go-to destination for some of the world's best racing drivers looking to optimise their physical and mental strengths.

Oxygen saturation, pulse and blood pressure precisely monitored: 22-year-old BMW M Racing Academy participant Nils Tröger (GER), BMW M4 GT4 driver for FK Performance Motorsport, during cardio training in Formula Medicine's special gym.

As part of the BMW M Racing Academy training programme, 24-year-old Matthew Million (USA) was given the opportunity to take an exclusive look behind the scenes at the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race in Laguna Seca.

INTENSE FIRST SIX MONTHS.

After completing the mental and physical fitness programme at Formula Medicine, the participants headed to the race track. At Miramas (FRA) and Varano (ITA), the "Class of 2025" clocked up a fair amount of training kilometres at the wheel of the new BMW M2 Racing – a win-win situation, as the young drivers were able to gain practical experience and share it then with the developers of the BMW M2 Racing.

Martí and Besler also gained extensive insight into BMW M Motorsport's racing activities during the FIA WEC race weekend at Imola, Italy, where they enjoyed an exchange with BMW M Motorsport director Andreas Roos and the BMW M works drivers. Programme participant Matt Million (USA) had his behind-the-scenes drill with the teams and drivers from the LMDh and GT3 programmes during the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race weekend at Laguna Seca (USA).

All along, the young Academy Motorsport drivers were supported by their mentors Jens Klingmann (GER) and Max Hesse (GER), as well as Robby Foley (USA) from Turner Motorsport (USA) and racing veteran Dirk Adorf (GER).