BMW M Motorsport has selected a trio of drivers to participate in the M Racing Academy for 2026, and American driver Josh Green made the final cut out of 12 finalists, along with Thomas Rackl from Germany and Ryder Quinn from Australia.
The M Racing Academy program is in its second year, with the goal of developing young drivers for careers in motorsport. The 12 candidates for the program went through two days of screening in Germany at the end of October, which included driving contests in BMW M models, mental and fitness tests, an Esports challenge on a simulator and driver and media interviews. Three BMW M Motorsport factory drivers acted as mentors for the candidates, including Robby Foley, Jens Klingmann and Max Hesse.
Josh Green, Thomas Rackl and Ryder Quinn were chosen from a pool of twelve candidates. (BMW Photo)
If you followed the SRO GT4 America series in 2025, it should come as no surprise that Josh Green made the final cut for the 2026 program. Driving a Random Vandals Racing M4 GT4 EVO, Green and co-driver Sam Craven scored nine podium finishes last season, including five wins, to capture the SRO GT4 America Pro-Am class championship. “Being part of the BMW M Racing Academy is a big step in the right direction for my career as a racing driver,” said Green. “Everyone entering sports car racing dreams of being associated with a manufacturer – especially one with as much tradition and history as BMW M Motorsport. From the ‘Class of 2026,’ I hope to improve in terms of car dynamics and development, areas that interest me greatly.”
Josh Green on the simulator during the M Racing Academy screening process. (BMW Photo)
Green will be joined in the 2026 program by Thomas Rackl and Ryder Quinn. Rackl drove an M4 GT4 EVO for the ME Motorsport team in the ADAC GT4 Germany series over the last two seasons and finished second in the Germany Kart Championship in 2023. Quinn competed in an M4 GT4 EVO in the GT4 Australia championship in 2025, finishing fourth overall in the Silver-Am class standings. Quinn also competed in the Australian Porsche Carrera Cup series in 2023 and was a Formula Ford champion in 2021.
Josh Green and Sam Craven won the SRO GT4 America Pro-Am championship in 2025 with Random Vandals Racing. (David Haueter photo)
Josh Green is the second American driver to participate in the M Racing Academy program. Matt Million, who drove for the Auto Technic Racing team in SRO GT4 America the last two seasons, was part of the program in 2025 and found it very rewarding. “My key takeaways fall into three categories: professionalism, performance, and in-depth knowledge of BMW M and BMW M Motorsport,” said Million. “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.”
—David Haueter
[Photos courtesy BMW, David Haueter]
