Maxime Martin

Maxime Martin is a Belgian racing driver who contested in various motorsport disciplines since his debut in 2004. Most recently, he spent four seasons (2014 to 2017) with BMW in the DTM. In 2018, he signed a deal to compete with Aston Martin in the FIA World Endurance Championship and other GT competitions.

Maxime with his father Jean-Michele Martin

A son of the four-time Spa 24h winner

Maxime Martin was born in March 1986 in Uccle near Brussels. Considering that he is the son of famous Jean-Michel Martin, the four-time winner of 24 Hours of Spa, Maxime’s racing career started relatively. In 2005, at 18 years of age, he has begun his career behind the wheel of a MINI Cooper in the national Challenge championship.

Megane Trophy runner-up and Clio Cup winner

In 2006, Martin progressed to Belgian Formula Renault 1.6 and took the 4th position in the final standings while in 2007, he has competed in Eurocup Megane Trophy, taking one win and finishing 3rd in the standings.

He spent another season in the same competition and that year was definitely better than the previous one. Martin scored six wins and finished the season as a vice-champion. In 2008, Maxime also won the title in the French Renault Clio Cup.

Maxime Martin early in a career

Debut in the FIA GT3 Championship

In 2009, he debuted in the FIA GT3 European Championship. Driving a BMW, he managed to win the race at Silverstone and appeared in other three races and finished 16th in the final classification.

The FIA started a new competition in 2010 – the GT1 World Championship. Martin became a member of well-known Marc VDS Racing Team and did relatively well. He scored podiums in the races at Circuito de Navarra and in San Luis driving a Ford before finishing 14th in the Drivers’ Championship.

Winning the races in GT1 Championship

The following year, driving the same car for the same team, but this time alongside Frederic Makowiecki, was much better for Martin. He won the races in Abu Dhabi, Sachsenring and two races in Ordos City, again finished 3rd in Navarra before finishing 6th in the overall standings. The same year Maxime debuted in 24 Hours of Le Mans and finished 7th, driving Marc VDS Racing Team’s Lola-Aston Martin alongside Vanina Ickx and Bas Leinders.

Driving MARC VDS' Ford

In 2012, Martin continued to compete in GT1 World Championship, driving an Aston Martin of Valmon Racing Team Russia, but after three rounds his team retired from the series. For the second time in his career, Maxime raced at Le Mans, this time sharing the seat of OAK Racing’s Morgan with David Heinemeier Hansson and Bas Leinders. They finished 14th overall and 7th in LMP2 class.

Martin became BMW driver in 2013

After achieving solid results as a privateer, in 2013, Martin signed a contract with BMW. His first duty with BMW was racing in the American Le Mans Series for Team RLL. Driving alongside Bill Auberlen he scored a a win in GT class and finished 6th in the championship. At the same time, Martin was involved in the BMW’s DTM project as a test and reserve driver.

Maxime Martin, BMW Team RLL, 2013 ALMS

First Belgian to win in DTM event

The following year, Martin was promoted to a regular driver of BMW Team RMG. Martin’s first season in DTM was a solid one.

He became the first Belgian to win in DTM after being the fastest in Moscow. Maxime scored points in other three races and finished 7th in the Drivers’ championship.

Maxime Martine celebrates victory in DTM event in Moscow, 2014

Second DTM win in 2015 at Nurbugring

Martin has repeated the same result in 2015. He won the race at Nurburgring and finished 3rd at Zandvoort and Hockenheim before taking 7th position overall and was 3rd among BMW drivers.

The same year Maxime appeared as a guest in the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup, driving for BMW Sports Trophy Team Brasil and was very impressive in the round at Paul Armagnac circuit, finishing 2nd in the first race and winning the second one.

Maxime Martin spent four seasons with BMW in the DTM

One more DTM victory in 2017

In 2016, Maxime again raced in selected Blancpain GT Series events, but DTM remained his main duty. Behind the wheel of the #36 BMW M4 DTM, he finished 8th in the DTM final standings in 2016, scoring no wins.

In 2017, he scored one victory in the #36 BMW, in the second race at Norisring, finishing again 8th in the final standings at the end of the season.

Maxime Martin is Aston Martin factory driver since 2018

Racing with Aston Martins since 2018

For 2018, he was invited to join Aston Martin Racing in the GTE class of the FIA World Endurance Championship. He was also driving an Aston Martin for Jetstream Motorsport in the British GT Championship.

In 2019, he stayed with AMR in the FIA WEC and joined PROsport Performance in the ADAC GT Masters.

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