Martin Tomczyk - Photo Credit: DTM.com
DTM champion Martin Tomczyk will race for BMW on the manufacturer's return to the series in 2012, the marque has confirmed.
Bavarian driver Tomczyk won his first DTM title this year, in his eleventh campaign in the series. He had raced for Audi for the duration, but was actually dropped from the crack Abt squad ahead of the 2011 season. After his successful season behind the wheel of an older-spec car run by the Phoenix squad, he announced his departure from the brand on Monday.
29-year-old Tomczyk joins his title rival from this year Bruno Spengler in signing for BMW, alongside long-time factory drivers Andy Priaulx and Augusto Farfus.
“Our squad of drivers is gradually firming up,” said BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt. “With Martin Tomczyk we are proud to have gained an absolute top-notch driver for our DTM involvement.
“Despite being fairly young in the touring car context, he is one of the most experienced DTM drivers around: he's consistently fast, of impeccable character and an out-and-out winner. In 2011 he was the first driver ever to win the DTM championship in an older spec car. We will do everything we can to consolidate this success with him in the future. Our target is to become competitive as quickly as possible, and from that point of view we see Martin as an extremely important asset.”
Tomczyk is due to test the BMW M3 DTM for the first time in Monteblanco in Spain on 6-8 December.
