After ten years as a BMW M Motorsport factory driver, German driver Martin Tomczyk is moving on to new challenges. Tomczyk became a works driver in 2011 after winning the DTM championship with Audi, and his experience was a major factor in helping BMW return to DTM racing in 2012 with the M3 DTM.
Over the years, Tomczyk has seen success in a wide variety of BMW race cars. He finished on the podium three times in the DTM in 2012 and competed in that series through 2016. He also drove here in the U.S. in the IMSA series in the M6 GTLM in 2017 as a co-driver with John Edwards, and contested the FIA WEC and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in a BMW M8 GTE in 2018 and 2019. He finished on the podium in the Nürburgring 24-hour race in both 2020 and 2021 with the M6 GT3.
Tomczyk at the wheel of the M6 GTLM at Watkins Glen in 2017.
It’s not clear if Tomczyk will continue racing, but he mentioned on his Instagram page that he’ll be working in the DTM series in a non-driving position. “It goes without saying that it is a shame that my time with BMW M Motorsport is coming to an end after ten years,” he said. “As a Bavarian, driving for a Bavarian manufacturer has always been a real honor. I had a great time; I drove fantastic race cars in some of the biggest races in the world and celebrated a few successes. Many thanks to everyone who joined me on this journey! Now I’m looking forward to a new challenge.”
BMW M Motorsport head Mike Krack commented that, “Martin Tomczyk was a terrific ambassador for BMW M Motorsport on and off the racetrack, and for that I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to him. Be it in the DTM, endurance racing, the IMSA series or FIA WEC, Martin represented BMW M Motorsport in the highest categories and grew to become one of the faces of the brand. Although we are heading in different directions now, we all enjoy looking back on our time together. I wish him all the best for the future!”—David Haueter
[Photos courtesy BMW, David Haueter.]
