Nerea Martí selected for first BMW M Racing Academy programme

F1 Academy race winner and Spanish GT title-winning driver Nerea Martí has been selected for the inaugural BMW M Racing Academy Programme, a newly-launched BMW Customer racing development programme that will support four selected elite drivers.

Photo credits: BMW Motorsport

Nerea Martí has been selected as one of four drivers for the inaugural BMW M Racing Academy Programme, a new initiative aimed at drivers currently competing in GT4 and aiming to climb the ladder with BMW Customer racing.

The 22 year old Spaniard, currently also competing in F1 Academy, has made her debut with BMW Spain Motorsport at the end of 2021, before claiming titles in the Spanish CER as well as Spanish GT in BMW M2 and BMW M GT4 machinery.

The exclusive development programme has been designed to assist top-level drivers progressing to the M4 GT3 platform, enhancing their skills on and off the track.

After a highly competitive season in the Iberian Supercars at the wheel of the BMW M4 GT4 operated by BMW Spain Motorsport, Martí was shortlisted as one of the finalists for this exciting opportunity.

BMW M Motorsport has in fact stepped up its support of the Customer racing program with the newly-launched BMW M Racing Academy, aimed at GT4-category young talents.

The “Class of 2025” includes the F1 Academy race winner, alongside three other elite junior drivers, who impressed the BMW M Motorsport’s decision-makers panel during the rigorous selection process.

BMW factory driver Bruno Spengler will mentor the participants, who will undergo a development programme in 2025.

In November, 12 candidates were invited to Munich, Germany, where the selection process took part through a careful assessment of physical, mental capabilities as well as setup sessions at the simulator and media training.

Nerea Martí, Berkay Besler, Matthew Million, and Niels Tröger emerged as the successful candidates and will form the "Class of 2025".

“I am incredibly proud that with the BMW M Racing Academy, we are offering our customer racers a unique and exclusive development programme that money cannot buy", said Björn Lellmann , Head of Customer Racing at BMW M Motorsport. "Our customers have always played an exceptionally important role for us, and with the BMW M Racing Academy, we are further strengthening our commitment."

"Congratulations to our four selected members of the ‘Class of 2025’ – they will experience a programme next year that provides insights previously reserved for works racing", he continued. "The selection process in Munich was an excellent preview of what is to come. I was impressed by the high level of all the candidates, which made the final decision a difficult one. However, I am delighted by the strong pool of talent we had to choose from.”

Photo credits: BMW Motorsport

Martí began her car racing journey in the 2019 Spanish F4 Championship, impressing with an outright podium and multiple top-ten finishes in her rookie season after the step up from karting. Her performance earned her a spot in the all-female W Series, stepping up to Formula Regional machinery.

Though the pandemic delayed her debut, Martí shone in the 2021 W Series season, finishing every race in the points, securing her first podium in Hungary, and claiming fourth in the championship as the highest-ranked rookie, which led to a test session in FIA F3 machinery at Magny-Cours.

Martí's momentum continued in 2022, achieving her first pole positions and two more podiums in W Series, while simultaneously excelling in her first touring cars outings. Racing for the BMW Spain team, she claimed the Spanish Endurance Championship title in a BMW M2 Cup in her debut year and later won the Spanish GT Championship (GT-CET) with a BMW M4 GT4.

In 2023, Martí joined the F1 Academy with Campos Racing, where she showcased her talent with pole positions and podium finishes, including a home-race success at Valencia. Her season peaked with a breakthrough victory at Circuit Paul Ricard, followed by a strong performance at COTA, securing fourth place in the overall standings.

In 2024 Nerea returned to F1 Academy, in a sponsorship deal with fashion brand Tommy Hilfiger. After five rounds, Martí sits fifth in the standings, with three podiums - including two second places - and six top-5 results to her name, in a superbly solid campaign that sees the Valencian finishing all the races in the points bar one.

At the same time she always continued her development in GT cars, as she initially entered again select rounds of the Spanish GT Championship, then transitioning to the Iberian Supercars Series, always aboard the BMW M4 GT4, where she currently is third in the GT4 PRO class championship with a best finish of second at Estoril and 5 podiums in 8 races.