BMW M Racing Academy Fires Three New Drivers Into Season Two

The BMW M Racing Academy has shifted into high gear for its second season, welcoming a fresh trio of talent ready to push the limits of their motorsport careers. Josh Green from the United States, Germany’s Thomi Rackl and Australian Ryder Quinn make up the Class of 2026, having earned their places through a rigorous selection process that saw them outpace a fiercely competitive field of GT4 contenders. Their opening week was a turbocharged blend of physical conditioning, mental sharpening and hands-on engineering work designed to accelerate their development both in and out of the cockpit.

The programme kicked off with a trip to Tuscany, where the three recruits joined BMW M works drivers Ugo de Wilde and Tim Tramnitz at Formula Medicine in Viareggio. Under the supervision of Dr Riccardo Ceccarelli and his specialist team, the drivers honed their physical fitness and dived deep into cognitive training techniques aimed at improving focus, composure and decision-making under pressure. The Italian leg also doubled as a team-building exercise, giving the trio a chance to bond and build rapport before the long season ahead.

From the sun-soaked Italian coast, the group then steered back to Munich for a session in the BMW M Motorsport simulator, set up to mirror the BMW M Hybrid V8. Guided by mentors Jens Klingmann and Robby Foley, along with a team of dedicated engineers, Green, Rackl and Quinn refined their driving inputs and learned how to deliver precise, constructive feedback to the technical crew. The week also included social media coaching and a visit to BMW Group Classic, where the young drivers absorbed the heritage and identity that fuels the marque’s motorsport DNA.

All three members of the Class of 2026 will continue to race competitively in top-tier GT4 championships throughout the year, with Green lining up in GT4 America, Rackl contesting the GT4 European Series, and Quinn racing on home soil in GT4 Australia. Quinn has already turned heads on the international stage after a standout GT3 outing at the Bathurst 12 Hour in February. Alongside Klingmann and Foley, returning mentor Max Hesse rounds out a formidable support crew that will steer the trio through every phase of the season.

Looking further down the road, the Nurburgring 24 Hours in May will serve as the next major pitstop for the programme, immersing the Class of 2026 in the full-scale operations of BMW M Motorsport race teams. With world-class mentorship, cutting-edge simulator technology and a calendar packed with competitive outings, this year’s academy intake has every tool it needs to shift from promising newcomers into fully fledged professionals on the global GT racing grid.