One of the participants in the test was Maxime Oosten, who, after making guest appearances last year, is now about to start his first full season in the BMW M2 Cup. “For me, these were my first laps at Hockenheim – and also my first time on rain tires,” said the young talent. “Although a lot was new to me and the conditions were quite difficult, I felt like I was in perfect hands. They always took great care of me.”

Personal support from driver coaches is an integral part of the BMW M2 Cup and ensures that even rookies can quickly get used to their new race car. “The BMW is a very professional racing car. I got a lot of opportunities to work on my driving style. For example, I improved my racing line on a wet track,” explained Michal Makeš from the Czech Republic.

Not only the skills behind the wheel are part of the young driver support of the BMW M2 Cup. Workshops on data analysis and teamwork were just as much a part of the programme, as well as an insight into the championship’s media activities. Kai Genz, who previously mainly raced in karting, also benefited from the training. “There were many new impressions for me,” he sums up after the two-day event. “I had no idea how much goes on behind the scenes. This experience helps to prepare for higher level series.”

Taking care of everyone’s physical fitness was the team of the Speed Academy. A fitness camp on the North Sea island of Langeoog, led by Axel Funke, was scheduled for March. Training camps like these, team sports and training in the simulator are just three initiatives that prepare young talents for their journey to become a professional race car driver.