Philipp Eng Bio
Philipp Eng (born 28 February 1990 in Salzburg) is an Austrian professional racing driver and a BMW Motorsport works driver. He is widely recognized for his versatility across single-seaters, GT machinery, and prototype sports cars, having built his reputation through success in Porsche one-make series before transitioning to international GT and endurance racing. Eng has competed in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM), the 24 Hours of Spa, and the 24 Hours of Nürburgring. In 2024, he became the first Austrian driver to win a top-category race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Early Life and Background
Philipp Eng was born on 28 February 1990 in Salzburg, Austria, and grew up in the city before his family relocated several times to support his early motorsport activities. At the age of 13, he moved to Italy, where a victory in the 2004 Italian Open Masters karting championship caught the attention of senior figures in the sport. That same year, he was accepted into the Red Bull Junior Team, which provided his first major sponsor and gave him the structure needed to pursue racing as a career.
By 2009, Eng had moved to Mannheim in Germany, and in 2011 he settled in Stuttgart, where he continues to reside. That year, he also qualified for the FIA Young Driver Academy, a program that trained promising juniors in driving, technical understanding, and media skills. Before racing income alone was enough to support him, Eng worked part-time as a driving instructor and coach to help fund his climb up the motorsport ladder.
Path to NASCAR
Philipp Eng is not currently a NASCAR driver, and his career has been built on European and international sports car and touring car championships rather than stock car racing in the United States. His professional path moved through Formula BMW, German Formula Three, FIA Formula Two, ADAC GT Masters, the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany, and the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. After winning back-to-back Porsche Carrera Cup Germany titles in 2014 and 2015, he advanced into GT3 machinery with BMW and has since become a central figure in the brand’s GT and prototype programs.
Philipp Eng Career
Early Career (2006–2010)
Eng made his car racing debut in 2006 with ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg in the Formula BMW ADAC series, finishing tenth overall and runner-up to Jens Klingmann in the Rookie Cup. He also drove a single round of the British Formula BMW series with Carlin Motorsport at Silverstone. In 2007, he moved to Mücke Motorsport, claimed one win at Barcelona, finished third in the ADAC standings, and later dominated the Formula BMW World Final from pole position at the end of the season.
In 2008, Eng entered the inaugural Formula BMW Europe championship as a guest driver, taking fourth in a wet race at Spa, and also contested four rounds of the German Formula Three season with HS Technik and Ombra Racing. From 2009 to 2010, he raced in the FIA Formula Two Championship, where he became the first Austrian to win a Formula Two race since Jo Gartner at Pau in 1983, taking victory from pole at Brands Hatch and adding further wins at Silverstone. He also tested a GP2 Series car with Ocean Racing Technology during this period.
GT Racing Breakthrough (2011–2017)
Eng switched to GT racing in 2011, joining Callaway Competition in the ADAC GT Masters alongside Toni Seiler. He later drove for MRS GT-Racing and then Deutsche Post by Project 1, where he won the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany championship in both 2014 and 2015, becoming the first driver to successfully defend the title in that series. In 2015, he also captured the international Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup crown, cementing his reputation as one of the strongest Porsche junior drivers of his generation.
In 2016, Eng joined Rowe Racing to drive a BMW M6 GT3 at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, finishing fifth, before claiming his first 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps victory alongside Alexander Sims and Maxime Martin. He added a second Spa win in 2018 with Tom Blomqvist and Christian Krognes in the Walkenhorst BMW M6 GT3, and a third in 2023 with Marco Wittmann and Nick Yelloly in a Rowe BMW, becoming the youngest three-time winner in the event’s history.
Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters Era (2018–2022)
From 2018 to 2020, Eng competed in the Class 1 era of the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) with BMW, scoring his first podium at the Lausitzring in 2018. In 2019, he secured his maiden DTM victory at Zolder in Belgium, added two more podiums that season, and finished sixth in the overall standings. After a break from the series, he returned to the DTM in 2022 with Schubert Motorsport.
BMW M Team RLL Era (2023–Present)
Since 2023, Eng has driven the No. 24 BMW for BMW M Team RLL in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. In 2024, partnering with Jesse Krohn, he won the GTP class race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, becoming the first Austrian to win a top-category race at that venue. In 2025, he and teammate Dries Vanthoor delivered BMW’s first win of the IMSA season in the M Hybrid V8 at Road America, reinforcing his role as a leading works driver within the BMW factory program.
Driving Style and Strengths
Eng is best known for his consistency, technical feedback, and adaptability across very different race cars, from lightweight Porsche one-make machinery to heavy hybrid prototypes. His race craft shines in long-distance endurance events, where tire management, fuel strategy, and clean stints are crucial, and he has built strong partnerships with engineers and teammates at Rowe Racing and BMW M Team RLL. His background in single-seaters also gives him a strong feel for braking zones and traction, which has translated well into prototype racing.
Notable Races and Milestones
Signature moments include his first Austrian FIA Formula Two win since 1983 at Brands Hatch, his three victories at the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, and his breakthrough IMSA GTP win at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2024. His 2019 DTM victory at Zolder marked his first major touring car success, while his back-to-back Porsche Carrera Cup Germany titles in 2014 and 2015 established him as a champion in his own right.
Philipp Eng Career Wins
Philipp Eng has built a diverse victory record across Porsche one-make championships, endurance racing, the DTM, and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. His most prominent titles came in the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany and the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, while his three 24 Hours of Spa wins stand as the centerpiece of his endurance career.
Porsche Carrera Cup Germany and Supercup Highlights
Eng won the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany championship in 2014 and 2015 with Deutsche Post by Project 1, becoming the first driver to successfully defend the title in series history. In 2015, he also won the international Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, capping one of the strongest Porsche junior campaigns of the decade.
24 Hours of Spa and Endurance Highlights
Eng has won the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps three times, in 2016, 2018, and 2023, and is regarded as the youngest three-time winner of the event. He also finished fifth at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring in 2016, and won the GTP class at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2024 and the IMSA round at Road America in 2025, both in BMW machinery.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship | 2 | — | 4 |
| 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps | 3 | — | — |
| Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup | 1 | — | — |
| Porsche Carrera Cup Germany | 2 | — | — |
| FIA Formula Two Championship | 3 | — | — |
Philipp Eng Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public details about Eng’s parents and siblings are limited. His early move to Italy at age 13, with the support of his family, helped him earn a place in the Red Bull Junior Team after his 2004 Italian Open Masters karting victory, a result that first connected him to a global motorsport network.
Personal Life
Philipp Eng is married and has a son, and he lives in Stuttgart, Germany, while maintaining strong ties to his native Austria. Since 2021, he has served as an expert motorsport commentator on ServusTV, covering events such as Formula One, Formula E, and the DTM. Outside of racing, he is also an active road cyclist.
2025 Season Performance
Philipp Eng is continuing his role with BMW M Team RLL in the 2025 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, driving the No. 24 BMW M Hybrid V8. Early in the year, he and teammate Dries Vanthoor delivered BMW’s first victory of the season at Road America, providing important momentum for the team’s GTP title push. With multiple rounds still ahead, the duo enters the second half of the season in strong contention within the GTP class.
Performance within the BMW factory program remains his priority, and his partnership with engineers and teammates continues to be a defining element of his results. Consistency in the GTP category, combined with the team’s hybrid development program, gives Eng a clear platform to challenge for additional wins in 2025. If the Road America form carries forward, he is well placed to add to his growing list of prototype victories.