Munich. After an intensive year, the “Class of 2025” has completed the BMW M Racing Academy – BMW M Motorsport’s dedicated support program for talented young drivers from customer racing. Under the close guidance of a team led by three BMW M works drivers, Berkay Besler (TUR), Nerea Martí (ESP), Matt Million (USA), and Niels Tröger (GER) have received comprehensive training and support from BMW M Motorsport over the past months. Following the successful launch of the program, anticipation is already high for the “Class of 2026.”
To conclude their BMW M Racing Academy year, the four members of the “Class of 2025” spent a full week immersed in the world of BMW M Motorsport. At BMW’s headquarters in Munich (GER), Besler, Martí, Million, and Tröger enjoyed a guided tour of BMW Welt and the BMW Museum. They then participated in workshops on social media and brand building – and immediately put their new skills to the test: the group documented their joint road trip to Viareggio (ITA) in a BMW M5 for BMW M Motorsport’s official Instagram channel.
In Viareggio, the quartet once again trained with Formula Medicine – as they had at the beginning of the year – focusing on both their mental and physical performance. Under the professional supervision of Dr. Riccardo Ceccarelli and his globally renowned team, the participants assessed their progress since the program’s start and evaluated their development. The “Class of 2025” also completed a 24-hour race simulation together, gaining firsthand experience of the procedures, challenges, and demands of endurance racing.
Throughout the year, the four drivers accumulated many valuable test kilometers on real racetracks. In Miramas (FRA) and Varano (ITA), they worked side by side with BMW M works drivers on development testing for the new BMW M2 Racing. Martí and Besler also gained insights into BMW M Motorsport’s factory programs by attending the FIA WEC weekend in Imola (ITA), where they met Head of BMW M Motorsport, Andreas Roos and several works drivers. Meanwhile, Million joined BMW M Motorsport at the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship round in Laguna Seca (USA).
The participants were mentored throughout the year by a trio of BMW M works drivers. Jens Klingmann (GER) served as the main point of contact for the “Class of 2025,” supported by Max Hesse (GER) and Robby Foley (USA). The team was completed by Dirk Adorf (GER), who brought his extensive experience from previous talent development programs. Together, they provided expert guidance both on and off the track, offering invaluable advice, analysis, and feedback. Their presence at the participants’ GT4 customer racing events provided an especially valuable learning opportunity through direct, hands-on coaching.
Besler, Martí, Tröger, and Million had earned their places in the Academy after a demanding selection process against a strong field of GT4 drivers last year. The selection for the second generation is already underway – and following the program’s successful debut, everyone involved is eagerly looking forward to the “Class of 2026.”
Statements on the BMW M Racing Academy.
Björn Lellmann, Head of Customer Racing at BMW M Motorsport: “I’m extremely proud that we were able to establish this development program again this year. Supporting talent from the customer racing sector is something both BMW M Motorsport and I personally care deeply about. During the BMW M2 Racing tests, the four participants made important contributions to development work, benefitting everyone involved. It was fascinating to watch how our ‘Class of 2025’ evolved both on and off the track. My thanks go to our BMW M works drivers Jens, Max, and Robby for their intense and constructive mentoring, which makes this program so special. We’re all very eager to continue following the progress of Berkay, Nerea, Matt, and Niels. After such a strong debut year, I’m very excited to see what the next generation of the BMW M Racing Academy will bring in 2026.”
Jens Klingmann, BMW M works driver: “It was great that, in the second half of the year, we were able to dive deep into the DNA of BMW – the values, the core business, the history, and the future – to broaden the participants’ understanding as drivers and give them a bigger-picture view. At the start of the program, we worked with Formula Medicine to assess each participant’s physical and mental baseline, and from there we built personalized training plans. Seeing their progress over the year was very rewarding. The 24-hour simulation was also crucial for teaching how to approach such an event, manage rest periods, and recover both mentally and physically. For drivers without prior endurance experience, that’s a real eye-opener. Overall, my impression is extremely positive. It was a lot of fun, and we were able to give the participants behind-the-scenes insights that money can’t buy. I’m happy that we could always be there for them – whether analyzing onboard footage, answering questions, or sharing advice. I wish all four of them the very best and hope they can apply everything they’ve learned in the BMW M Racing Academy to their future careers, both on and off the track.”
Berkay Besler, BMW M Racing Academy participant: “Racing for a brand like BMW is already something very special to me, but being part of the BMW family through the Academy made it even more meaningful. Having such close contact with all members of this big organization was incredibly valuable. The relationship with the three mentors was essential – especially since I’ve known Max for a long time and could exchange ideas with him throughout the year. I also spent a lot of time with Jens during the BMW M2 Racing tests, and his influence on my performance has been huge. After every test, we wrote reports to share with him, and after every race, I did race reports with my engineer – something I had never done before. It really helps us improve and analyze our weaknesses. I’ve also adapted my nutrition and training routines based on what I learned at Formula Medicine and use mental techniques during races to enhance my focus. All these experiences will be crucial for my future racing career.”
Nerea Martí, BMW M Racing Academy participant: “The BMW M Racing Academy provided me with a complete preparation both on and off the track. I’m very grateful for the close connection to BMW and the opportunity to learn from everyone involved. I’ve learned to pay attention to small details and to plan my development strategically – from physical and mental preparation to communication and social media presence. The program has taught me how to prepare properly off the track, apply the right training methods, and balance physical and mental aspects to deliver my best performance. The chance to interact with our mentors and everyone involved in the program was incredibly valuable. Their experience, advice, and feedback had a big impact on my growth as a driver, and I’m confident that their guidance will continue to help me in the future.”
Matt Million, BMW M Racing Academy participant: “My key takeaways fall into three categories: professionalism, performance, and in-depth knowledge of BMW M and BMW M Motorsport. The mentors in particular gave me a clear understanding of how to act as a BMW M driver and brand ambassador, both on and off the track. The conversations with Robby Foley and Max Hesse helped me build a framework for planning my next career steps. Overall, the program elevated me in every aspect as a driver and ambassador – from physical and mental training to recovery and team feedback. I’ve also started using media and interview opportunities much more effectively to represent myself and the brand. Sharing my story from the BMW M Racing Academy and my journey feels special. Representing the brand I raced with for years in club racing is personally a magical story for me.”
Niels Tröger, BMW M Racing Academy participant: “The BMW M Racing Academy has given me insights into professional motorsport that you wouldn’t normally get. During the BMW M2 Racing tests, I gained my first experience in race car development, and working directly with the engineers was unique and highly educational. With the help of our mentors, especially Jens, I’ve learned how to give precise feedback to my race engineer. Thanks to our Formula Medicine training, I now prepare for races in a completely different way and can perform much better. All these important experiences have helped me develop further as a driver. Overall, the BMW M Racing Academy has made me a more complete racer.”
BMW M5 Sedan: energy consumption weighted combined: 17,6–17,2 kWh/100 km and 5–4,8 l/100 km (WLTP); CO₂ emissions weighted combined: 114–108 g/km (WLTP); CO₂ classes: unloaded battery G; weighted combined B. Fuel consumption unloaded battery: 10.7 l/100 km (WLTP)