Charlie Martin is set to make history as the first transgender racing driver to compete in the Nurburgring 24 hour race. She will be behind the wheel of a BMW M240i and racing with Adrenalin-Motorsport, the team she’s raced all season with in the Nurburgring Endurance Championship.
The Leicestershire-born racing driver has raced in a number of racing series since 2006, spending time in various Hill Climb Championships, Formula Renault, the Ginetta GT5 Championship and others. This weekend, she’s racing in the 50th anniversary race of the Nurburgring 24 hour race.
“I am so excited to race in the Nürburgring 24 Hours,” Martin said. “This is one of the biggest endurance races of the year, on a circuit famous for its complexity and changeable conditions. This is also a very proud moment for me as the first transgender entrant in this race. After such a crazy year, this could so easily not have happened and I am so thankful for all the support I have received in preparing me for this moment and the opportunity to do something that has never been done before.”
In addition to taking part in the Nurburgring race, Martin also announced her plans to compete with Praga in the Britcar Championship next year. She’ll be driving the Praga R1 (blue car pictured in the gallery above).
“I am very excited to be invited to join the Praga family,” Martin says. I first tested both versions of the R1 at MotorsportDays Live in 2019 and was really impressed by how the car offers the best of GT and prototype driving in one package – and there’s no ignoring how fantastic it looks on track! I have been really impressed by Praga’s long-term vision for the brand and I’m excited to make a real contribution. We know that the car is a race-winning package and the first task is to deliver strong race results and set our sights on winning the championship.”
In addition to racing, Martin is an LGBTQ+ activist. She serves as an ambassador for Racing Pride, was named a Stonewall Sports Champion and also serves as a trustee for Mermaids (a charity that aims to help gender-diverse kids and their families). In addition to taking part in the Nurburgring 24 hour race, Martin has her eyes on participating in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the future.
You can watch Martin and the rest of the field hit the Green Hell online this weekend via a livestream on YouTube.
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