DTM champion Tomcyzk joins Abt as motorsport director

In his new role, Tomczyk will be responsible for the entire Abt motorsport portfolio and will report directly to managing director Hans-Jurgen Abt  and team boss Thomas Biermaier.

The German will initially focus on Abt’s GT3 racing activities with Audi in the DTM and its newly-announced Lamborghini programme in the Nurburgring Nordschleife-based NLS Series, before expanding to its electric racing projects with CUPRA in Formula E and Extreme E.

Tomczyk is a familiar figure at Abt having raced for the long-time Audi factory squad for a decade from 2001-10, although it was following his switch to Phoenix Racing in ‘11 that he won the DTM title.

His stint with Abt yielded four race victories and a best finish of third in the championship in 2007, when he helped the squad to clinch the teams’ title.

“Martin Tomczyk gained a lot of respect as a series manager of the DTM last year and did an excellent job from our point of view,” said Thomas Biermaier, CEO of ABT Sportsline. 

“After the sale of the DTM brand to the ADAC, we started talking and quickly realised that we would complement each other perfectly. 

“I am very pleased that we came to an agreement quickly and that Martin Tomczyk will be strengthening our team as a manager with immediate effect.”

Rene Rast, Team ABT Sportsline Audi R8 LMS GT3

Photo by: Alexander Trienitz

Tomczyk hung up his helmet after 2021 to join DTM’s parent body ITR and was the second-in-command under company owner Gerhard Berger, playing a crucial role in developing the series during its second year as a GT3 category.

However, the ITR was dissolved at the end of the 2022 DTM season and the rights of the DTM subsequently sold to the ADAC, with Tomczyk not being transferred to the new management structure.

Explaining his decision to join Abt, the 41-year-old said: “After the realignment of the DTM, I started to look elsewhere. ABT Sportsline is one of the most successful racing teams in the world and my motorsport home. The contact has never broken off after all of these years. 

“I still know many of the people involved, so the familiarisation period shouldn’t take long. I am very much looking forward to my new task. 

“I’ve been at home in GT3 racing for many years, so I can add my experience in in this area straight away. But I’m also already very excited about Formula E and Extreme E. The portfolio at ABT Sportsline is fascinating.”