BMW launches “Gen2K”, a special program for young drivers

The BMW Junior Team is no more, long live “Gen2K”. BMW M Motorsport unveiled the new name and logo for its young driver training program on Tuesday. This program will aim to highlight future GT stars and help them climb the ladder to the top of the discipline.

Recently, three drivers had benefited from the BMW Junior Team program: Dan Harper, Max Hesse and Neil Verhagen had taken part in various GT championships around the world. They will continue to be supported by BMW as part of “Gen2K”, which welcomes a new member: Charles Weerts, aged 23.

The “Gen2K” at the start of the 24 Hours of the Nürburgring

Harper, Hesse and Weerts will compete together in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring (May 30 – June 2) at the wheel of the RMG team's BMW M4 GT3. At the same time, the three friends will also participate in GT World Challenge Europe, but for different teams: Dan Harper and Max Hesse at ROWE Racing, while Charles Weerts will remain at WRT. Neil Verhagen will contest the entire GT World Challenge America season with ST Racing, as well as theEndurance Cup in IMSA at Paul Miller Racing.

“We are generally very proud of our driver team, but we are particularly proud of its diversity, rejoices Andreas Roos, head of BMW M Motorsport. Our pilots come from twelve different nations and range in age from 23 to 55, with nine of them under 30. It is remarkable that four drivers born in 2000 or later already have several years of experience at the highest level. Added to this are international champions like Sheldon van der Linde and Dries Vanthoor, who are barely older than the Gen2K riders. This forward-looking team is impressive. »

As with the BMW Junior Team, BMW M Motorsport legend Jochen Neerpasch will mentor the Gen2K program. “The fact that I am entering my fifth season with BMW M Motorsport, just like Dan and Max, shows how much the brand cares about the development of young drivers,” he said. I am very proud to be an official driver for a brand that has such deep roots in motorsport and I look forward to representing BMW M Motorsport again during the upcoming season. »

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