Maxime Martin will join Boutsen VDS this year to lead the team's full-season assault in GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS.
The Belgian ace recently switched camps from BMW to Mercedes-AMG, a move that has paved the way for a long-awaited reunion with Boutsen VDS. Martin will run the full season in the squad's distinctively liveried Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO, which will be entered in the Pro class.
The Boutsen VDS squad was launched in 2023 when two established outfits joined forces: Boutsen Racing is led by Olivier Lainé (pictured above with Martin) and Olivia Lainé Boutsen, while the familiar VDS name and logos reflect the involvement of Marc Van der Straten.
Martin has previously represented both components of the partnership. He drove for the former at the very beginning of his career, cutting his teeth in Formula Renault 1.6 in 2006. He then graduated to Eurocup Mégane Trophy, finishing as series runner-up in 2008, before claiming the Renault Clio Cup France title in 2009.
Their paths separated thereafter, with Martin graduating to GT racing and establishing himself as an international star with Marc VDS. This partnership lasted until 2015 and brought significant success in what is now the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Endurance Cup. Martin subsequently moved to ROWE Racing and achieved his ambition of winning the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa in 2016.
Today he is among the most experienced and respected professional drivers in the sport having represented BMW (2013–2017), Aston Martin (2018–2022) and BMW again (2023–2024) before making the switch to Mercedes-AMG over the winter. He spent the previous two seasons in one of the most high-profile cars in GT racing, sharing the #46 Team WRT BMW with Valentino Rossi and earning wins at Misano in '23 and '24.
“I’m very happy to be back with Boutsen VDS, a team with which I’ve shared great victories and unforgettable moments," said Martin. "This return is a fantastic opportunity to continue building our story together with fresh sporting objectives.”
Martin's teammates in the Pro car will be announced soon, as will the line-up for a second Boutsen VDS entry. Last year, the Belgian squad ran full-season programmes in Pro and the Silver Cup, clinching the overall teams' and drivers' titles in the latter.
The 2025 campaign will officially launch with the traditional Prologue at Circuit Paul Ricard on 10/11 March. The same venue will host the season-opening Endurance Cup race on 11–13 April, while the Sprint schedule begins at Brands Hatch on 3/4 May.