Top athletic performance meets an individual, fresh aesthetic: Norwegian-Brazilian ski racer Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, the son of a Norwegian father and Brazilian mother, combines Scandinavian precision with South American creativity. At just 25 years of age, he is already a five-time World Cup winner and has been competing for his mother’s home country, Brazil, since 2024. As an athlete, he combines technical brilliance, media presence and style awareness – and is rethinking skiing. He sees many parallels between himself and BMW M. In this interview, Lucas talks about top athletic performance, individuality, design and drifting in the snow – on skis and in a BMW M5.
BMW M Magazine: Hi Lucas, performance is clearly one of your driving characteristics. ‘United by Performance’ is a key motto of GEN M, the new brand movement for the BMW M Community. What does performance mean to you?
Lucas Pinheiro Braathen: For me, performance is not only about results or winning - it’s about connection. When I perform, I want to feel aligned and that I’m expressing myself to the greatest extent It’s about balance between precision and emotion, control and freedom. Great performance is true freedom and that is what I’m chasing everyday.
Another matter of great relevance for you is your individual expression. Could you tell us a bit about it?
For me, it’s all about authenticity - being true to who I am in everything I do. Growing up between Brazil and Norway gave me the freedom to see the world from different perspectives. I express that mix naturally, whether it’s through skiing, fashion, or the people I surround myself with. It’s not about standing out, it’s about being real.
You and your friends had the opportunity to take part in a customised BMW M Snow & Ice Driving Experience. How did you like it and what did you do exactly?
It was incredible - pure adrenaline and control at the same time. Driving on ice is similar to skiing in a way: you have to respect the rhythm of nature, feel the surface, and react with precision. It’s not about fighting the elements, it’s about moving with them. That experience reminded me why I love speed so much.
You grew up in Brazil, where football was the natural thing to do. But when you discovered skiing, you found not only the thrill of speed, but also a sense of freedom and belonging in a truly international community. Speed feels like something you live - what does it give you, both in sport and in life?
I’ve always lived at a high pace and frequency. Fluctuating between different cultures, communities and sports. This shaped me to be the athlete and person that I am today - growing up in Brazil, I played football like every kid. So when I discovered skiing at age nine, something clicked. It gave me a feeling of freedom, and fulfillment. Speed as a result, for me, is energy - it’s the moment where I feel most alive and true to myself.
When you compare your skiing style with driving a BMW M car, what similarities do you see in terms of the feeling they give you?
Both are about rhythm and precision. You can’t just attack - you have to listen, feel, and react in the right moment. What skiing and driving a BMW M share is becoming one with yourself and the equipment you’re using as well as the environment you’re then moving through.
On skis or in a BMW M5 – two very different means of transport for pushing the limits on snow. What is the most exciting moment for you when skiing, and what was the most exciting moment when drifting in the M5?
In both, the best moment is when everything slows down even though you’re moving fast. It’s that split second where instinct takes over and you feel completely in control - flow state. In both there’s a balancing of letting the grip go catching it at the right time again.
You are going to be a proud owner of BMW M5 Touring. Why did you choose M Power with extra cargo capacity?
My life is always on the move - from races to cities to mountains. The M5 Touring gives me exactly what I need: power, space, and comfort. It’s performance with purpose. It fits my lifestyle perfectly - dynamic, spontaneous, always ready for the next chapter.
GEN M unites all who live and breathe motorsport, performance and automotive culture as part of their identity. What do you think about GEN M? Do you see yourself as part of this community too?
Definitely. I love that GEN M celebrates performance as a form of expression, not just competition. It’s about passion, creativity, and community - values I really connect with. I see myself as part of that mindset: pushing limits but doing it with meaning.
Have you had any previous encounters with BMW M? Any defining experience with a BMW M in your childhood or adolescence that made a lasting impression?
As a kid, I was fascinated by vintage BMW M models I saw online - the way they combined sport and design so seamlessly. That duality really spoke to me and mirrored my own worlds of athletic performance and creativity coming together. There’s a similar contrast in BMW M that I see in myself: precision and power balanced with expression and style. What makes this connection feel full circle is that, in both my universe and BMW M’s, everything ultimately comes back to performance.
Thank you, Lucas!
