STAVELOT, Belgium, May 10, 2026 — Genesis Magma Racing scored its first points in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), as Pipo Derani brought the #17 GMR-001 Hypercar home in eighth place at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. The team took advantage of an aggressive strategy decision in the final hour of the race, with the Brazilian able to defend his position in the final part of the race.

Result Highlights Team’s Early Progress

The two starting drivers, André Lotterer and Dani Juncadella, held their positions at the start of the race. Good pace and a strategy decision to only partially fuel Jaubert for his second stint of the race allowed the #17 car to climb up to tenth before the Frenchman made way for Pipo Derani with just over 2:30 remaining in the race.

Facing an issue that left the car down on power, the team made another aggressive strategy decision at the final stop under a Virtual Safety Car that, though giving the team track position, left Derani at a disadvantage compared to those around him. Taking the restart with 34 minutes remaining in eighth place, he was able to move up as others suffered incidents ahead. After a brief exchange of positions on a final restart ten minutes later, where Derani briefly ran as high as sixth, he settled into eighth place. Defending superbly through the closing stages against drivers with newer tires, he held on to score Genesis Magma Racing’s first points in just the second start for the team.

A fix to an electrical issue lost the #19 entry seven laps after the opening hour of the contest. However, with the problem solved efficiently by the team, they were able to use the remainder of the race to gather crucial data about the balance of the GMR-001 Hypercar in different situations. With this goal in mind, Jaminet took two rear tires at his stop mid-way through his double-stint, reporting the effect on balance back to the garage.

In line with the team’s goals before the race, the focus in the final hours became bringing the car successfully to the end, maximizing the experience gained from the weekend and repeating their achievement from the season opener.

Genesis Magma Racing Team Management Quotes

Genesis Magma Racing Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul, said: “In only our second participation in an Endurance race, we could not have dreamt of a better place than Spa to score the very first points in the history of Genesis Magma Racing. We are still a very young team and this result is an extremely emotional moment for all its members, and I hope that will make the entire Hyundai Motor Group proud. As we had some issues with power and with energy consumption, we decided to make an aggressive strategic move towards the end of the race with a very short stop with the #17 GMR-001 Hypercar perfectly executed by the pit crew and Pipo, and it played out very nicely. We need to  continue to consolidate our foundation so that we can be here and beyond on a regular basis, but it's great that it's coming now because it also gives us  the momentum to tackle as many of the issues we have been facing before the next major milestone in our program in Le Mans.”

Gabriele Tarquini, Genesis Magma Racing Sporting Director, said: “This is an amazing result for all of Genesis Magma Racing and the #17 GMR-001 Hypercar team. We were under a lot of pressure at the end. Pipo did a fantastic job because we had some issues. He deserved his position because he protected his position superbly at the end. He did a fantastic job, as did André Lotterer and Mathys Jaubert, who drove before him. Despite improvements since Imola, the #19 car unfortunately had some problems again. Step by step we need to climb the hill.”

Justin Taylor, Genesis Magma Racing Chief Engineer, said: “My heart is still racing from the last two hours. It wasn't easy. We faced some technical difficulties, and we worked through them as a team. This is just going to be a super motivational factor for us moving into the big race next. I am absolutely thrilled with the way that we worked together, the way all the drivers performed. We were really a two-car team with an army of people behind, and we all worked together. We learned a lot of things as well on the operational and technical sides. We learned that we still have some weaknesses. We were able to limp through, but we need to be stronger for the next one.”

Anouck Abadie, Genesis Magma Racing Team manager, said: “Finishing the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps was a challenge. We will have a full season full of challenges, but this one was certainly a tough one. I think we are showing that we are capable of working together to face whatever comes at us. We had some scary moments but in the end the guys did an amazing job and we crossed the finish line with both cars, and the #17 GMR-001 Hypercar in a very good position. So now it's very positive. We still need to work on some procedures to see how we can optimize some issues that we have faced, but we need to learn from that and then get the best out of it.”

Driver Quotes - #17 GMR-001 Hypercar

Pipo Derani said: “We were battling some issues from the moment I got in the car. From that moment, I was trying to survive, understand what we could do to improve, and get the #17 GMR-001 Hypercar to the checkered flag. I kept pushing Mathieu Leroy for a strategy to get track position in order to try and maybe hold the cars behind, because it was the only way we would get to the points. I was fighting to manage the energy, asking the engineers the numbers, but at the end we did just that, and I was able to hold quite a few cars behind. I just kept my head down. I'm very proud of the team, and to be able to bring the first points home to Genesis Magma Racing. It's been a long time coming, but yet so early days for us.”

Mathys Jaubert said: “The race was amazing. As we did in ELMS last year, Mathieu Leroy [#17  race engineer] did a mega job on the strategy. We might have been a bit lucky with the last full course yellow, but we had to be in the right place to be lucky. What a race. We did a pretty good job. For me, the #17 GMR-001 Hypercar was great, no issues at all. We were able, like in Imola, to keep the other cars behind when we were fighting for top ten positions. So, the first points is a good step. Now the next race is Le Mans. It's going to be a new one for the team and the longest one. It's a bit harder and we need to keep working to improve. We will take many lessons from this one, because now the focus is to take the experience we have and prepare for our 24 Hours race.”

André Lotterer said: “It‘s very emotional for the whole team to have this result. The strategy came towards us, we were a bit aggressive, but we take it. It's a very big day for Genesis Magma Racing and the whole brand to be able to score our first points so early in this journey. Pipo did some amazing defending. It was really a tough job for him, to be longer on the tires and also we had issues with the car that he had to manage, but he kept his cool and really, really did a good job. What we did in Imola was a great achievement for the team. We had similar aims to be at the finish line and establish ourselves in this championship. But secretly, I had hopes for our first points and they came.”

Driver Quotes - #19 GMR-001 Hypercar

Dani Juncadella said: “It was a difficult race for the #19 GMR-001 Hypercar, of course, because we had the electrical issue. But after that, a bit like in Imola, we drove to the end and we completed a lot of mileage, and we had encouraging pace. It’s amazing for the #17, they get this result. That's a win for everybody in the team. So early in the development phase and the first time racing in Spa with the car, and we score points, that's just incredible. It’s really good for all the team. We drove both cars to the finish line, got a lot of mileage and we were fighting other cars already on a difficult track. I feel every race we're making steps forward.”

Mathieu Jaminet said: “It was a bit of a tough day for us with the issue at the start and another small issue again with me. After that, we ran actually pretty smoothly. We drove to the end, so that was good and we had some good pace at stages. We can take some really good learning from the weekend, which is a good thing. We tried some different tire strategies with me.  I’m happy that we leave Spa with a lot more knowledge than before we arrived. So I take that as a really good positive and on a good note, the sister car scores some points which is very good for the spirit of the team. It's a pretty amazing achievement. Hats off to that, and this should only give us a big push to work even harder for the future.”

Paul-Loup Chatin said: “My stint at the end was good. The car behaved well. We were unfortunately a few laps done with a small issue we had at the beginning, but one more time, I think we confirmed that we have a strong and nice car in the GMR-001 Hypercar with good potential and the best is ahead of us, but shows us what we still need to work on to not lose time with the small issue. It's part of motorsport, but we need to be capable of solving it. But it's a learning curve. I'm super happy for our sister car to score the first point for Genesis Magma Racing. They built this story and they made history today. I think it was really important to get those points before Le Mans. I'm super proud of the entire team and I can't wait to be back at Le Mans in a few weeks.”

2026 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps Results – Hypercar class

2026 FIA World Endurance Championship standings – Manufacturer Hypercar class

IMOLA, Italy, April 10, 2026 — Genesis Magma Racing will make its debut in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) at the 6 Hours of Imola less than 500 days after publicly announcing their intent to enter the series. Though the team is satisfied with the progress made during testing, the event at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari represents a new step, joining the established teams and manufacturers of the grid on track for the first time.

Race Debut Builds on Foundations Laid During Testing

The team’s main focus is on building on the foundations laid during the 25,000 kilometers of track testing completed by the team with the car since August 2025. Recognizing the scale of the challenge of joining the highly competitive championship, Genesis Magma Racing places a two-car finish high on its list of goals for the race while focusing on managing aspects of race weekend operation that lie fully within its control.

The change to the WEC calendar gave Genesis Magma Racing an extra three weeks to prepare for its first event at the highest level of endurance racing. The team’s engineers took full advantage of the opportunity as they have done throughout the testing and development of the GMR-001 Hypercar.

Final preparations for the race debut included a day of testing at the Imola circuit – something that was planned prior to the calendar alterations. As well as giving the team an opportunity to simulate race runs on a WEC race track, the running with two cars provided the drivers with a chance to establish a base setup for the car, which they can work from during the Prologue test and Free Practice sessions.

This is especially important for the technical demands of the Imola circuit, including a need to ride bumps and curbs well to make the most of the power from the GMR-001 Hypercar’s G8MR 3.2l Turbo V8 engine.

Both of the team’s entries will be shared by three drivers – Pipo Derani, Mathys Jaubert and André Lotterer sharing the “liquid metal” liveried #17; and Paul-Loup Chatin, Mathieu Jaminet and Dani Juncadella in the predominantly black #19 GMR-001 Hypercar.

Genesis Magma Racing Team Management Quotes

Cyril Abiteboul, Genesis Magma Racing Team Principal said: “The FIA World Endurance Championship weekend at Imola is a huge moment for Genesis Magma Racing and Genesis as a manufacturer. I am very proud of the work we have done as a team to reach this occasion, and I am personally very proud of the faith placed in us by our Chair, Vice Chair and Chief Creative Officer Luc Donckerwolke to take Genesis racing. As a new entrant, we know that we are not in a position to pursue performance at the start of the season. Instead, our focus will be on things we can control in our reliability and operations, making sure we can do the small things right first, before we can expect performance and race results. A successful weekend in Imola will be if we get both our GMR-001 Hypercars to the finish with minimal technical problems or penalties and the entire team working well together. Once the race starts, I’ll be nervously waiting for the checkered flag — certainly not for the last time with Genesis Magma Racing.”

Gabriele Tarquini, Genesis Magma Racing Sporting Director said: “Imola is not just a race weekend for Genesis Magma Racing, but our first ever race. It’s a very important moment in our history. The entire team is excited to start, and once we begin, I’m sure we will find even more motivation for the season. Even after a long time for testing – even if any time spent testing is never enough – we really miss the stress and adrenaline of real competition. Our goal for the first race is to put both GMR-001 Hypercar on the grid with no mistakes, and to finish the race with both cars. This is the first step for us to climb, and I want to see how our drivers, who worked together very well during testing, will perform in a race situation. We know that our competitors are very strong and very experienced, but I am sure we have everything we need to start fighting with them very soon.” 

Justin Taylor, Genesis Magma Racing Chief Engineer said: “Imola is a unique circuit, not only because of its history but also some of its characteristics, namely the curbs and bumps. To be fast in Imola means using the curbs and absorbing the bumps, which means a compromise on the aerodynamics. We gained invaluable experience at the track during a test in February and will be building on that foundation during the official Prologue, focusing on adapting the GMR-001 Hypercar to the challenges of a full WEC event with other Hypercar and LMGT3 traffic, something impossible to test otherwise. There’s a mix of feelings about finally going racing after an intense development. Obviously, anxiety coming from the uncertainty of how the car will perform when compared to the rest of the field. At the same time, we have great excitement to cross a significant milestone to where lap times and results matter.”

Driver Quotes - #17 GMR-001 Hypercar

Pipo Derani said: “The additional month before the start of the season was definitely helpful for us. On the other hand, we would have preferred to race in Qatar as it would have provided an extra 10-hour race before Le Mans. Imola is one of the most challenging circuits on the calendar, making it a significant test for us as a team for our first race. If we perform well at Imola, it should boost confidence for the next rounds. I believe our first target is to finish without any major issues. I'm not setting any expectations. I want us to focus on doing well with the things we can control. If we succeed in that, we might end up with a positive outcome. From a personal perspective, my goal is to accomplish small wins each day and review the weekend with the sense that we worked effectively as a team. There will be moments we might consider as underperformance but recognizing those areas will be important for our development.”

Mathys Jaubert said: “The test we completed at Imola gives us a strong foundation heading into the race weekend. It allowed us to define key elements such as the gearbox ratios, work on setup, and for us drivers to get comfortable with the track, but without traffic. The Prologue will be especially valuable, particularly for me as a rookie, to adapt to traffic management with the GT3 cars. It will also give us our first real benchmark against the other teams and help us understand our strengths and areas to improve, giving our first true indicator of where we stand. The priority will be to stay consistent, avoid mistakes, and not pick up any penalties. It will also be important to identify any weaknesses in the car so we can improve for the upcoming races and build a strong foundation for the season. On my side, the focus will be on delivering a clean and consistent race, avoiding errors, and staying in the right rhythm throughout my stints. Being on the pace is key, and I’m confident we will be there.”

André Lotterer said: “Imola is one of the tightest tracks on the FIA World Endurance Championship calendar. It is very demanding in terms of traffic management and quite busy for the drivers. The baseline setup we have for the GMR-001 Hypercar is quite good, but you need a very particular setup for Imola. It is one of the bumpiest tracks we visit and requires a car that is nimble and able to go on the curbs and absorb the bumps. As a driver, you always try to maximize what you have, but in this case we don’t know what we have compared to the competition, so it will be a revelation to see where we are. We don’t have crazy expectations. We want to finish the race and gain as much experience as possible. We’ll focus on ourselves and our solutions and learn as much as we can so we can continue to build the team and leave Imola stronger. We’ll see our weaknesses, but the more we see them, the clearer our solutions will be, so we can address them quickly.”

Driver Quotes - #19 GMR-001 Hypercar

Paul-Loup Chatin said: “I’m very pleased to see the 2026 season finally getting underway. It represents the start of a new personal challenge for me, but also a significant milestone for everyone at Genesis Magma Racing. Since the team was announced in December 2024, the entire team has worked relentlessly and made the most of every second. I’m extremely proud of what they have achieved in such a short space of time. Imola marks the first step of this new chapter. The circuit increases the level of difficulty due to its characteristics, particularly the bumps and aggressive curbs, which require specific qualities from the car. It’s a real challenge that will teach us a lot for the rest of the program. Our primary goal will be to focus on ourselves and execute a clean race from start to finish. We are not facing a single mountain, but an entire mountain range. It will be essential to remain humble and united throughout this journey if we want to reach our objectives.”

Mathieu Jaminet said: “I’m super excited to finally go racing. It’s been a while since I had the chance to race against someone, and I think it’s the same for my teammates. I’m looking forward to starting the season, the competition and seeing where we are. Starting Imola after Qatar was postponed could be seen as a good and bad thing for us. It would have been interesting to see where we were compared to the competition already in Qatar, but it gave us more time to prepare, which we took full advantage of. For me, Imola is one of the highlights of the calendar. It’s a very old-school track. It’s fast, really demanding for the car, so I’m looking forward to driving there and seeing how close – or far – we are from the top runners. The main target is to finish the race with no technical issues, no penalties and we can build from there. Get some mileage, learn more about the car, and get the team working together.” 

Dani Juncadella said: “Starting the season in Imola is quite a challenge as a driver, and for the whole Genesis Magma Racing team. It’s a very challenging track, very technical as a driver and very narrow, so it’s going to be fascinating managing the GT traffic, which will be a first for me. We got the chance to test at the circuit and make a few laps, which gave us a bit of a head start to know what’s coming. To be fair the aim for the weekend is go step by step, day by day with the Prologue test, practice, qualifying and race. For me, it’s my debut in Hypercar, so I’m massively excited, but I’m not expecting much in terms of results, but it’s not our main focus. There’s a lot of things we need to work on before focusing on pure results. I’m very excited to start the journey with my two teammates in the #19 GMR-001 Hypercar. Imola is a great place to kick-start the season. It’s going to be hectic, and let’s see if the weather also plays a role. There’s going to be a lot happening.”

LE CASTELLET, France, Dec. 15, 2025 — Genesis Magma Racing wrapped up an intense year at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya with a three-day test from Dec. 10-12 that included an important milestone for the GMR-001 Hypercar’s development. 

Final Test of 2025 Gives Team Chance to Test Operational Processes 

Coming just over a year after the formal announcement of the team in Dubai, the successful test showed how far Genesis Magma Racing and the GMR-001 Hypercar have progressed in 2025. 

A team of personnel has been built from the ground up, bringing together technicians and engineers from endurance racing and staff from Hyundai Motorsport, who were part of the Trajectory Program, embedded within the IDEC Sport LMP2 team. The Barcelona test was a key evaluation of operational processes, involving full crews of mechanics and engineers for the two test cars as well as team management and six-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Jacky Ickx, serving as the team’s Racing Advisor. 

Team Manager Anouck Abadie said, “It's like a rehearsal before you go on stage, so that was very important to do it. To know that everybody works well together, because when you pick up people from different teams and environments you don't expect them to know each other at the first race. So, it was really important for us, before closing 2025, to at least do one test with almost a full team. We had 75 people, about 80% of the team here, so now we can see if we need to make some adjustments. Overall, I am very satisfied and optimistic when I see the team working together.” 

The test also brought a significant milestone in the development of the Genesis G8MR 3.2l Turbo V8 engine at the heart of the car. The motor, designed and built by Hyundai Motorsport, was first fired up in February, beginning a series of dyno tests to achieve efficiency, power and reliability targets. During the days at Barcelona, the engine of car #17 surpassed 8,000km — a key reliability goal — before the end of the test. 

“It's a massive deal for us to reach our reliability target,” said Genesis Magma Racing Chief Engineer Justin Taylor. “If you go into the season knowing that you can't complete the longest, most important race, then it would be hard to stay motivated. The power unit guys had the biggest task of anybody with this project, so this speaks to the job they’ve done.” 

Successful Test Completes Remarkable Year 

The team completed three full days of running at the circuit with both cars. Following the confirmation of the team’s driver lineup for the 2026 WEC season, the test was a further opportunity for drivers and engineers to work together as they will next year. #17 GMR-001 Hypercar drivers André Lotterer, Pipo Derani and Mathys Jaubert shared a car sporting a new “liquid metal” livery, overlaid with the Korean Hangeul lettering for “Magma” which inspired the geometric Genesis Magma Racing logo carried on the car’s engine cover. 

Mathieu Jaminet and Dani Juncadella shared the second car with 2026 Reserve Driver Jamie Chadwick, continuing to gain experience in the GMR-001 Hypercar. Paul-Loup Chatin, who will complete the #19 line-up for 2026, was not cleared to drive the car until the new year.

On track, the running focused on optimizing reliable performance within the WEC’s technical regulations on a track representative of many on the FIA WEC calendar. Having two cars on the track also provided the team double the amount of data. 

André Lotterer said, “We have come a long way with since the first test, especially on reliability. So, we were at Barcelona with two cars focused on performance and in particular software optimization. We came with a new aero package, taking what we have learned and also got to try the new tires on one car. We maximized our time on track and collected a lot of data so we leave smarter than when we arrived.” 

Taylor said, “I think we go into the Christmas break with positive spirits, because we know that we can now start working on other things and have a little bit less to worry about. Certainly, there's a lot of people who have a lot of work left to do next year, but I am confident.”

DAVOS, Switzerland, Nov. 20, 2025 — Genesis Magma Racing has completed its driver lineup for the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship, announcing experienced Hypercar class drivers Mathieu Jaminet and Paul-Loup Chatin. The pair join André Lotterer, Pipo Derani, Dani Juncadella and their fellow Frenchman Mathys Jaubert on the roster for the season. 

Experience and Pedigree Complete Genesis Magma Racing Squad 

Jaminet and Chatin bring considerable Hypercar and endurance racing experience to their new team, further strengthening Genesis Magma Racing’s stable of drivers ahead of their competitive debut. 

Genesis Magma Racing Sporting Director Gabriele Tarquini said: “The addition of Mathieu Jaminet and Paul-Loup Chatin completes a well-balanced lineup for our debut WEC season. They are the perfect point between the experience we have in André Lotterer and Pipo Derani, and the potential we see in Mathys Jaubert and Dani Juncadella.” 

“We have an amazing lineup for Genesis Magma Racing’s first year in the FIA World Endurance Championship,” said Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul. “The combination of drivers that we have secured far exceeds any expectation we had when we began the project. It is a huge mark of the trust these race winners and champions have placed in our young team, Genesis and the broader Hyundai Motor Group. I am sure they will create huge motivation and a virtuous circle for the team that is coming together very nicely at our base in Signes.” 

Jaminet has become a stalwart of worldwide endurance racing paddocks, first in the GT classes before graduating to the Hypercar and GTP class of WEC and IMSA respectively. He won the 2022 GTD Pro class title in the North America-based series and moved to the premier class the following season. Since then, he has collected five overall victories and a further eight podiums, including results in the series’ headline endurance races at Daytona, Sebring and Road Atlanta. 

“I’m very happy to be joining Genesis Magma Racing,” said Jaminet. “This is the start of a new chapter, a new history for me. This team offers me that opportunity to go racing in the WEC and hopefully in the future also the IMSA series.” 

He added: “I wanted to have a fresh start with new people to try to step up but also bring my experience to a new team and work to build something incredible for the future. Obviously, the road will be long with a new team, but I’m really excited and looking forward to the challenge ahead.” 

He has contested the 24 Hours of Le Mans four times — once in LMGTE Pro and three times in Hypercar — and has completed a partial schedule in the WEC this year, scoring a best finish of fourth in Japan. 

WEC Race Winner Chatin Brings Important Development Knowledge to New Team 

At the same event, Chatin joined the list of WEC race winners as part of the team that won the 6 Hours of Fuji. On top of 15 starts in the top class of the championship, he crucially brings more experience of the ORECA chassis which forms the basis of the GMR-001 Hypercar. His knowledge about previous development of the platform will add another important element to the final preparations of the car for its competitive debut and the further testing to be completed during the 2026 season. 

Chatin said: “I am truly honored and proud to join the Genesis Magma Racing adventure in Hypercar. First and foremost, I would like to thank everyone who made this opportunity possible. After two enriching years with Alpine Endurance Team and the recent success in Fuji, I feel more ready than ever to take on this new challenge.” 

“Genesis is still a young brand, but its values and ambitions immediately resonated with me,” he added. “I’m well aware of the challenges that await us, but I have full confidence in our team’s talent and determination to quickly move forward and fight for top positions.” 

Chatin is also a familiar face to Juncadella and Jaubert, having been part of the driving squad for the sister IDEC Sport entry to the Genesis Magma Racing Trajectory drivers’ car in the European Le Mans Series throughout 2025. 

Final Tests Give Team Opportunities to Assess Potential Driver Partnerships 

The arrival of Jaminet and Chatin adds one more element to Genesis Magma Racing’s development. Jaminet was part of the team’s latest endurance test, which took place at the MotorLand Aragon circuit on Nov. 15-17. Joining previously announced drivers André Lotterer, Pipo Derani, Mathys Jaubert and Dani Juncadella, as well as recently announced Reserve Driver Jamie Chadwick, Jaminet completed stints throughout the test where the team was able to take a major step in confirming the reliability essential to its first steps in WEC competition. 

“I had to adapt a little bit,” Jaminet said after his first laps in the GMR-001 Hypercar. “The car requires a different driving style compared to what I am used to. It seems to like nice big corners. It's actually quite nice. At this stage every lap is really important for a driver. You need to understand all the systems, all the buttons on the steering wheel and all the procedures.” 

He added: “I think I come in with different feedback on a few things. I'm one of the most experienced drivers with LMDh cars and obviously I was in a different car not long ago. I tried to not get too much feedback from the other drivers – I really wanted to make my opinion, also for the engineers. The idea was not to provide me with too much information to really start from a white sheet of paper to tell them what I think.” 

The drivers’ performance and feedback, as well as the working dynamics with the team’s other drivers, will be assessed by Genesis Magma Racing team management, led by Tarquini and Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul, to decide the exact driving lineup for the team’s pair of FIA World Endurance Championship entries. 

“The chemistry between drivers in the car is vital when it comes to success,” said Tarquini. “Through the tests we can see how the drivers work together, see how their driving styles and set-up preferences match, and how the relationships begin to form before deciding our lineups for the season. The key will be to make sure we have the best possible squad of drivers in both cars to help us create the strong foundations we need as a team.” 

Driver Profile: Mathieu Jaminet

Place of Birth: Hayange, France
Date of Birth: Oct. 24, 1994
FIA Driver Grading: Platinum

Career Highlights:

Driver Profile: Paul-Loup Chatin

Place of Birth: Dourdan, France
Date of Birth: Oct. 19, 1991
FIA Driver Grading: Gold

Career Highlights:

LE CASTELLET, France, Nov. 6, 2025 — Testing of the Genesis Magma Racing GMR-001 Hypercar entered a new phase last week, with three days (Oct. 28-30) of running at Circuit Magny-Cours in France. The running was dominated by wet conditions, giving the team the opportunity to gain information on the car’s handling balance in all conditions. 

Previous Progress Allows Focus to Turn to Performance For the First Time 

The test added another strand to the already busy development plan. Following the initial running to calibrate systems and the first endurance test to begin to work on component reliability, the three days at Magny-Cours broadened the focus to include maximizing performance for the first time. 

Genesis Magma Racing Sporting Director Gabriele Tarquini said: “We are continuing to develop the GMR-001 Hypercar, but we are also working on a different area and starting to think about performance. We need to build a sort of ‘toolbox’ for the setup in all conditions making sure the drivers are able to adjust the car to always be able to be pushed in any condition.” 

“From our previous tests, I think we have made big progress on the system side,” said Pipo Derani. “As we get to the part of the development where things have been stabilized, we can switch focus to getting the maximum from the package we have in the GMR-001 Hypercar and begin to look at performance a bit more.” 

The test featured all four drivers who are currently confirmed as part of the Genesis Magma Racing lineup for the FIA World Endurance Championship, with Derani joined by André Lotterer, Mathys Jaubert and Dani Juncadella. 

“It was a good test for me personally to get more mileage in the car,” said Juncadella, “But it was also a very good test because it's the first time where we have had a range of conditions at the same circuit to try things with the mechanical setup. We were always moving in the right direction.” 

Wet Weather Plays Perfectly Into Testing Plans

 
The team intended to deliberately wet the track to gather data on the GMR-001 Hypercar’s behavior in wet conditions. However, Mother Nature played along with the testing plan, delivering rain to circuit, particularly during the middle day of the test. 

“Wet-weather testing is always important with any new car,” said Tarquini. “We know we will face wet conditions in race circumstances at some track, and it could easily be the biggest race of the year, so the team and drivers need to know how the car reacts in difficult conditions.” 

“It was perfect timing,” said Tarquini. “It was planned to test in the wet on the third day, but fortunately, the second day was completely wet, so we didn't have to wet the track artificially. It actually helped us a little, because we got to run on a very wet track, but also while the circuit was drying as well.” 

Jaubert said: “The car was really nice in the wet conditions. We did some running in damp conditions, but also when it was really wet during the night. Overall, we made a lot of systems improvements in the traction control. It's difficult to compare because we are the only ones on track, but the car balance feels great.” 

The relatively low air and track temperatures, both peaking at 17-18°C on the coldest day, also gave the chance to gain experience with the tires in starkly different weather to what the team have seen in previous tests. 

“We got a chance to play a little bit outside the box in terms of what you would need to do warming up a tire to have it ready to race,” said Genesis Magma Racing Chief Engineer Justin Taylor. “We can learn things which we wouldn't get a chance to do during a race weekend and start to build strategies to get heat into the tires.” 

“We ran a near 2026-spec tire for the first time, so we got some experience of how the wet tires behave with our car,” said Lotterer. “We worked on our systems for first time in the wet, which was very important. We learned about our traction control and all the up- and downshifts to make sure everything works correctly in the wet.” 

Tarquini said: “We still want to do a lot more kilometers, but this was a very positive three days. Everybody is happy about the car behavior in the wet, and the drivers were able to give good feedback. We had some small problems which we were fast to solve, and we know the direction to go for the next tests, which will be very important.” 

With only a handful of days on track remaining before the GMR-001 Hypercar begins the homologation process, there remains a lot of work to complete. The remaining tests will combine the dual targets of reliability and performance but also act as the first dress rehearsals for the team’s race weekend procedures in preparation for their FIA WEC debut.

LE CASTELLET, France, Sept. 30, 2025 — The first endurance test for the GMR-001 Hypercar at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve marked another key step in Genesis Magma Racing’s preparation for the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). Following the three days of testing, the team’s four confirmed drivers for the season – André Lotterer, Pipo Derani, Mathys Jaubert and Dani Juncadella – reflect on their experiences.   

What is the aim of completing an endurance test with the GMR-001 Hypercar?

Andre Lotterer: “When you are planning to race at Le Mans, it's a 24-hour race, so the car needs to be reliable. These tests are where the car is placed under stress over a longer period of time for the first time and we get to learn about all of the different components, because everything is new. It's actually much more for the team – engineers and for the people who are behind the whole concept of the car – than the drivers. Of course, it's also good for us to get a feeling of the car by driving longer distances, especially in terms of learning a bit more about the tire degradation and comfort for the drivers. Usually at an endurance test, you don't do that much setup work. Instead, you focus on having the car on the track as much as possible. It was good that we have managed to do that relatively early on our testing journey, which only started in the beginning of August.”

How has the development of the GMR-001 Hypercar moved forward compared to the first test with the car in August?

Pipo Derani: “Considering we've only done six days of testing, we're moving forward quickly. There’s obviously a lot, especially on the systems side, that we need to keep working on, but the Genesis Magma Racing team has been doing an amazing job so far. It's not an easy task to jump into a race series like the WEC, with so many other competitors who have been doing it for so long. To put a brand-new group of people together and make them understand each other is not easy, and so far, I think we're making good progress. There are a few areas where we could be better, but there are other areas where we are better than expected. That's part of the development and here we are, after only our sixth test day, already doing a 30-hour test. The GMR-001 Hypercar is going well so far. We had some issues to fix, but that’s expected – that’s why you do tests like these.”

What were you first impression of driving the GMR-001 Hypercar?

Mathys Jaubert: “Driving the GMR-001 Hypercar for the first time was something very special. It's very powerful, much more powerful than anything else I’ve driven, but it is easy to drive. It's easy to find the rhythm in it. The driving style you need is closer to a GT than a single seater or a Prototype, like the LMP2. I think it’s the weight, which is creating a lot of movement in the car and makes it really rewarding to drive fast. It felt like I was dreaming. Since I was very young, I’ve aimed to enter the highest class of the endurance racing, and I'm very happy to be there and to share the car with amazing drivers such as Dani, Pipo, and André.”

How would you describe your first stints in the GMR-001 Hypercar at Portimão?

Daniel Juncadella: “My first laps in the GMR-001 Hypercar were an incredible experience. I loved it. From the get-go, what an amazing car. You can tell what a great base we have, and it's only the sixth day out of seven days of development on track. Of course, it was tough because I was jumping straight into an endurance test for my first-ever laps in the car, but I think it was obviously a good opportunity to test my physical fitness, and I think I did very well. I’m so happy to see that my fitness level is already there in the very first days with the team, and I’m already looking forward to the next test. There is a bright future ahead.”

How does the GMR-001 Hypercar compare to the LMP2 and GT cars you have driven before?

Daniel Juncadella: “I think it's a pretty good combination of an LMP2 car and a GT car. I would say in terms of drivability, it may be closer to a GT car in many aspects. However, we have no ABS in the Hypercar, so that makes it tricky. The Hypercar has a lot of systems that you need to think of, a lot more technical things that you need to learn and understand compared to other cars. It has some downforce in the high-speed sections, very similar to what an LMP2 car delivers but the GMR-001 Hypercar is a lot more powerful, which makes it really enjoyable.”

Which skills have you learned with the Genesis Magma Racing Trajectory Program in LMP2 that you were able to use in your first Hypercar test?

Mathys Jaubert: “I think the biggest thing I’ve learned during my season with the Genesis Magma Racing Trajectory Program in LMP2 and the European Le Mans Series is what I need to do in terms of [giving] feedback – what information do I need to give to the engineer and to all the staff to improve the car. This is something very important in this kind of a test with the Hypercar, where we are at the start and we need to develop the car. As drivers, we need to give clear feedback and focus on a specific point. Having Mathieu Leroy as our engineer makes it easier. We’ve been working together all year in ELMS, so we know each other’s language, and he knows my strengths and what I want to have with the car.”

What extra information were you able to provide after driving the GMR-001 Hypercar in darkness for the first time?

Pipo Derani: “There are some things that are [usually] not the priority while driving, which we re-evaluated when we tried driving at night for the first time. For example, we weren't particularly focusing on dimming the steering wheel display, but then when we drove at night for the first time, I realized I couldn’t see anything. Later, we were able to [adjust those settings] ourselves in the car, but we haven’t reached a point where we can focus on such comfort-related aspects yet. Rather, it’s been more about the critical systems – the engine, the chassis, and so on. Once we have our heads wrapped around those things, we can make sure we have a look at the little things, ensuring we put all those boxes away for the car before it is completed and ready to compete.”

How would you sum up the results of the test?

Andre Lotterer: “It was a very interesting test with a lot of things to analyze and questions to answer. We still covered a lot of mileage and gained a lot of information for the engineers to work with before the next test. The data from the software will obviously be downloaded and analyzed, and that stuff takes some time to fine tune, but the hardware went through a rough test really well. It proved we have solved some issues from the earlier tests, but we still have some other things to deal with – nothing dramatic, but things that we still need to fix before we start racing.”

LE CASTELLET, France, Sept. 23, 2025 — Genesis Magma Racing have completed a successful first endurance test with the GMR-001 Hypercar, using three days (Sept. 16-18) of running at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve to test the reliability of every aspect of the car.

Endurance Test Places Maximum Stress on Components Early in Development

The visit to the Portuguese circuit, which allowed for 32 hours of continuous running, was a key step in the car’s development before its debut in the Hypercar class of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 2026. The running aimed to confirm the reliability of all aspects of the car, testing them up to – and even beyond – breaking point.

“The main target of an endurance test is to put miles on the car and see what problems you can generate along the way,” explained Genesis Magma Racing Chief Engineer Justin Taylor. “We’re still only six or seven test days into the development of the car, so at this stage you're hoping to have problems show up so that you have a chance to solve them.”

He continued: “I think we can be satisfied with the outcomes from the test. We did a lot of mileage, but we’re very early in the development of the car, so we were learning something new with every stint, which we can take away and on to our next tests.”

Time in the car was shared between André Lotterer, Pipo Derani and new Genesis Magma Racing WEC drivers Mathys Jaubert and Dani Juncadella, who got their first laps in the GMR-001 Hypercar as part of the test. “As a driver, you want to do good lap times so you can properly stress components with the intention of finding failures,” said Derani. “It's a brand-new car and we need to see if the parts can last long enough. If we find any weak points, then work out what we can do to improve. Next year our big race is a 24-hours, so we try and prepare ourselves for that.”

Running Provides Test of Cooling Package, Headlights and Stint Management

Relatively high temperatures – more than 30 degrees at their hottest – provided a thorough test for the GMR-001’s innovative cooling package, as well as the 3.2-liter twin-turbo V8 engine and the rest of the powertrain components.

As the car ran throughout the night, attention also focused on the illumination provided by the specially designed headlights, which echo the Two-Line design of Genesis brand road cars. The spread and quality of the light thrown out are critical in the WEC’s longer events, giving the drivers the confidence to push in all conditions.

“We quickly realized that our lights are very good,” said André Lotterer, who was the first driver to climb aboard after sunset. “It is very satisfying, because I know it's been a big topic. We decided to develop our own lights to keep the Genesis design identity, but we knew we also needed the quality. So that was very positive to be able to sign off so easily.”

During the long-distance running, drivers completed double or even triple-stints at the wheel of the GMR-001. The long periods in the cockpit – especially on such a physically demanding track as the undulating Portimão circuit – allowed them to provide important feedback on driver comfort. The same long stints allowed engineers to gather data needed to efficiently manage race stints. The team could measure the tire wear of different compounds in different track temperatures and manage the amount of energy to match the levels mandated by the WEC regulations.

New Recruits Provide Further Enthusiasm and New Feedback 

Mathys Jaubert and Dani Juncadella arrived at the test following their confirmation as part of Genesis Magma Racing’s WEC driver line-up. The two drivers, who have been racing in LMP2 as part of the Genesis Magma Racing Trajectory Program quickly adapted to the more powerful GMR-001 in their first stints, supporting the decision to add them to the Hypercar line-up. Their feedback brought new perspectives but also backed up the earlier feedback provided by André and Pipo – confirming the direction taken by the team.

“Driving the GMR-001 Hypercar for the first time was something very special,” said Jaubert. “It's very powerful, much more powerful than anything else I’ve driven, but it is easy to drive. It's easy to find the rhythm in it. It was like I was dreaming. Since I was very young, I’ve aimed to enter the highest class of the endurance racing, and I'm very happy to be there and to share the car with amazing drivers such as Dani, Pipo and André.”

“I think as new drivers to the project Mathys and I can support a lot with feedback” said Juncadella. “Even though I have no experience in the Hypercar class, I do have a lot of experience in endurance racing with different manufacturers, so I’ve been working in high-performance environments for many years in my career and can bring those different experiences to the development.”

Genesis Magma Racing Sporting Director Gabriele Tarquini said: “Mathys and Dani were very enthusiastic to jump in the GMR-001 Hypercar because it was their first time in the car. They really enjoyed their stints. They did a great job, especially as this track is very tough for driver fatigue in this type of car, and provided very good feedback to help confirm our early development.”

The next steps of testing place more emphasis on extracting maximum performance from the GMR-001 in all conditions, before combining this with further endurance runs and full operational tests to prepare the team for their race debut.

“Our next tests are going to be more adding performance. We're going to have more opportunities to change calibrations, change software, change parts and then just keep on pushing. Then we get to put that through our next endurance test,” said Taylor.

LE CASTELLET, France, Sept. 1, 2025 — Genesis Magma Racing has completed its first full tests with the GMR-001 Hypercar (GMR-001). The car completed more than 500 laps at Circuit Paul Ricard over five days of testing in late August to start the exhaustive development schedule to prepare for the team’s debut in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 2026.

First Running Concentrates on Confirming Major Systems

The focus of the tests was calibrating the GMR-001’s major mechanical and electrical systems. The drivers concentrated their feedback on the behavior of the car when running different configurations of software controlling the power delivered by the car’s 3.2-liter twin-turbo V-8.

“We had a program that we were able to follow, so that's very promising for the whole team,” said Genesis Magma Racing Technical Director FX Demaison. “At the moment, we’re purely focused on software, especially on the powertrain. It’s a hybrid car with many features that we need to manage properly.”

Beginning the first testing phase at Circuit Paul Ricard allowed the Genesis Magma Racing engineers to work together closely with chassis builder ORECA, taking full advantage of the track’s proximity to both the team’s race base and the workshop where the GMR-001 was built.

While the car’s systems remained the primary goal throughout the test, the team could also start to work on the handling balance of the car, assessing its behavior after each adjustment.

“We're getting to the point already where we are talking about the performance of the car, which I didn't honestly expect to be doing,” admitted Genesis Magma Racing Chief Engineer Justin Taylor. “The drivers are giving us the feedback we need on all the systems and on the side, they're already looking at how to make the GMR-001 fast.”

Drivers Take Positive First Impressions from Test Running

The tests were the first opportunity for the team and drivers André Lotterer and Pipo Derani to assess the car on race tires and at a circuit that was far more representative of WEC venues than the small facilities used for the initial running.

“On our first shakedowns, there were just baby steps to see that the car could move under its own power, could shift its own gears,” said Taylor. “Now we've been trying to push more towards being a real race car.”

“We had some driving on the smaller tracks, but you can't really push there,” said Lotterer. “The GMR-001 is obviously well born — the feedback is very natural, instinctive and it's fun to drive, but we are still working on everything.”

“It’s always an unknown when you jump into a new car,” added Derani. “You have high expectations, but with the GMR-001 we have a good base to start working from.”

Genesis Magma Racing Engineers Tackle Minor Issues at Circuit and Workshop

After initial short runs, the team was able to begin completing longer runs as early as the first morning of the test. As expected at any first test, minor issues were identified by the team. “It's a new car and new engine,” explained Demaison. “It's normal to have issues, but we have a good team of engineers to solve them as quickly as possible.”

He added, “This is why you go testing. We're here to see as many problems as possible and to be able to fix them as quickly as possible.”

The break between test days gave the team’s engineers time to work with their ORECA counterparts on solutions away from track, before confirming them on their return to the circuit. The testing and development work with the GMR-001 will continue over the coming months, with the next phases of work aiming to ensure the car’s reliability over a race distance, maximize performance, and confirm Genesis Magma Racing’s operational structure at the circuit.

LE MANS, France, June 15, 2025 — Genesis Magma Racing drivers and team members learned important lessons from a positive performance on their first participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Trajectory Program drivers Jamie Chadwick and Mathys Jaubert were joined on their 24 Hours of Le Mans debut by three-time winner André Lotterer in the #18 IDEC Sport-entered car in the Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) class of the race.

Qualifying Struggles Give Way to Podium Pace

The trio struggled for pace in Wednesday evening’s qualifying session, failing to progress through to the Hyperpole sessions. However, with the support of the team, which included Genesis Magma Racing’s newly confirmed Chief Engineer, Justin Taylor, the drivers improved the handling balance of the car steadily through the remaining practice sessions.

Their efforts quickly paid off at the start of the race, when Lotterer immediately began to make progress from the team’s 14th in class starting position. By the time the German completed his race-opening triple stint to hand the car off to Chadwick, the #18 was firmly established within the top eight. Chadwick consolidated that standing during an exceptional quadruple stint — one run longer than originally planned — before Jaubert completed the cycle of drivers with a triple stint deep into the night.

As the race passed the halfway point at 4 a.m., the crew were firmly in the podium battle along with the sister #28 IDEC Sport car, especially with the field bunched up following the first safety car of the race.

Sadly, less than two hours later, just after taking over the car, Lotterer stopped on the Mulsanne Straight after losing the right-rear wheel. Unable to drive any further, he was forced to abandon the car, ending a promising performance by he and his rookie teammates after 206 laps. Working with IDEC Sport, Genesis Magma Racing personnel will analyze the cause of the problem in the coming days to avoid a repeat when they return to the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) at Imola next month.

Key Weekend in Creation of the New Team

Five new members of Genesis Magma Racing team management were announced by Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul at a press conference the day before the race. Alongside Taylor, Team Manager Anouck Abadie; Sporting Director Gabriele Tarquini; Driver Program Advisor Mia Sharizman; and Commercial, Marketing and Communication Manager Warren Scheckter all got their first chance to work with the team and drivers at the race.

Furthermore, over 40 members of Hyundai Motorsport were identified for the Trajectory Program to potentially join Genesis Magma Racing’s debut FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season. They were interested observers at Le Mans, gaining first-hand experience of the incredible atmosphere of the race weekend to prepare them to execute their future roles flawlessly 12 months from now.

Post-Race Quotes: #18 IDEC Sport Oreca 07

Chadwick said: “It's been an incredible experience. I don't think anything can fully prepare you for your first Le Mans. It’s been such a pleasure to be a part of it. It's funny, I think I would have taken your arm off to just be in the race at the beginning and then you suddenly start fighting for a podium position. Obviously disappointing in the end, but still incredible work by the whole team. I think our strategy and our teamwork has been really good and I learned a lot from André this week. In the race I just tried not to make any mistakes — not getting any penalties or anything like that. My teammates did a great job so when I got in the car, I was always in a really good position. It's a shame obviously not to continue to do that throughout the race, but I'm happy with the progress we've made. It's not easy to come to this place.”

Jaubert said: “I’m very frustrated for sure, but at least we take a lot of experience with Jamie for our first 24 Hours of Le Mans. We’re not happy about the result, but the pace was great. Like from the start of the year, we've made no mistakes, had good pace and good strategy. We were fighting for the podium, so it was a great race, but unfortunately, we had an issue on the car with the wheel. But at least we can take a lot of experience. Le Mans has been all about traffic management. Racing at night is all new for us. Also, the balance of sleeping and waking up — it's quite different, so it’s good to learn how to manage all these things.”

Lotterer said: “It was the race we wanted up until the point where we retired. I think we did really well. We had a good rhythm, staying out of trouble and not getting any penalties, so we were in the mix for the podium, but after the pit stop, we lost the right-rear wheel and there was no chance to come back with the way the differential works, so I had to park the car. It's sad for Jamie and Mathys for them not to be able to finish their first Le Mans. They were driving very steady and learning a lot. So, I think they would have deserved to be there at the end, but it's like this. It was great to be on board and represent Genesis Magma Racing colors and be with people for next year and start building team spirit already. Obviously, next year is going to be a completely different game with the GMR-001 Hypercar. The whole structure is going to be bigger, more complex and more sophisticated, but in terms of operations and human processes, we'll learn at many levels from this weekend.”

Abiteboul said: “10 months after the decision to enter endurance racing, Genesis' participation in Le Mans this year with our drivers and some of our first staff members was an achievement in itself, and another milestone of our Trajectory Program designed to enter the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2026 in the strongest possible position. We wanted to accumulate useful experience for next year, and that's precisely what we've done ever since we arrived in Le Mans, and in the 14 hours of very competitive running during the race. It was an amazing progression through the field from the team. In their first time at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Jamie and Mathys were incredibly impressive in every circumstance, and we need to say a big thank you to André for sharing his experience of Le Mans with them. While we did not target a particular result, we obviously wanted to do well, and thanks to the relentless efforts of IDEC Sport, the car could progress during the first half of the race to run in solid podium positions. The retirement is a disappointment, but that should not overshadow [the fact] that it's been a very successful week where we’ve learned many things. It was also heart-warming to get such a positive response to our arrival in the WEC paddock, to the design of the GMR-001 Hypercar and the announcement of our new management structure at the event.”

FRANKFURT, Germany, May 21, 2025 — Genesis Motor Europe and luxury watch and jewelery maison Chopard have teamed up on the French Riviera for two weeks of seaside luxury. 

As the automotive partner of Chopard at Cannes, Genesis will provide bespoke chauffeur services to Chopard’s VIP guests as they navigate their annual Cannes activities. The renewed collaboration promises to bring together Genesis’ bold design language of “Athletic Elegance” as well as its vibrant Korean spirit and style with Chopard’s world-renowned design, luxury and elegance. 

The Genesis chauffeur fleet consists of 30 cars, including 10 of the brand’s luxury G90 sedans, and is exclusively available to Chopard guests staying at the Martinez Hotel, where they can also enjoy access to Chopard’s signature Rooftop Lounge hospitality. The Genesis lineup is also available to Chopard’s celebrity talent and brand ambassadors for the full duration of the event.

The chauffeur fleet will support Chopard guest attendance at a variety of annual Cannes events sponsored by the illustrious maison, including transport to and from the red carpet, the amfAR Gala Cannes and the Trophée Chopard, reaching a pinnacle at the Chopard Gentlemen’s Evening tonight.

Genesis Brand Partner and Chopard Ambassador Jacky Ickx, who attended the Chopard Universe evening on May 19, will return to Cannes and the Chopard Rooftop to attend the maison’s Gentleman’s Evening alongside Genesis Magma Racing driver André Lotterer.

Lotterer will also visit the Chopard Rooftop today, before joining up with the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) Genesis Magma Racing Trajectory drivers for his team debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June. So far in this year’s ELMS Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP 2) series, drivers Jamie Chadwick, Daniel Juncadella and Mathys Jaubert have claimed two victories at the 4 Hours of Barcelona and the 4 Hours of Le Castellet.

The two-week program in Cannes marks a revival of the two maisons’ successful collaboration in Switzerland last year, where the 2024 x Gran Berlinetta Tribute was showcased to honor Ickx at Chopard’s Evening with the Belgian racing legend.

Commenting on the partnership with Chopard, Genesis Motor Europe’s Managing Director Xavier Martinet said: “It is a privilege to be able to work alongside such an established luxury maison like Chopard once again. With its creative designs, high-quality craftsmanship and vivacious spirit, Genesis is the perfect complement to Chopard's activations in Cannes this year.”

That’s how Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul describes the momentum behind Genesis’ ambitious new motorsports program. From developing a V-8 engine to preparing for the highly anticipated debut of the full-scale GMR-001 Hypercar, Abiteboul recently sat down with the Genesis Newsroom to discuss the team’s next bold steps.

This exclusive interview follows Genesis’ announcement of its entry into motorsports late last year, with plans to compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 2026 and the IMSA SportsCar Championship (IMSA) in 2027.

It’s been three months since Genesis officially launched its racing program. What challenges have you encountered so far?

I think the biggest challenge is really the time we have available. Building a path is a challenge, but also finding the right facility and building a team. We need to have a group of 60 people who do not yet exist. We also need to have the right equipment for them to operate.

Another big challenge, from a timing and engineering perspective, is the powertrain. And anyone who knows about engines will appreciate that we only had six months to develop a complete engine. We elected to go with a V-8, precisely because the V-8 was a great opportunity not to have to redesign a complete engine from scratch and instead take inspiration from our [Hyundai Motor Group’s] existing WRC [World Rally Championship] engine, a very competitive 1.6-liter turbocharged inline-four that we've been using for several years. We took that engine and made it two times four in line, which gives us a V-8.

Also, we are working with partners, and one key partner is a French company called ORECA, which is not new to this business. They have been designing endurance racing cars for decades. We are also very lucky to have them as a partner to help us and guide us in the development of the design and the performance of the car.

It sounds like you’re assembling everything quickly.

Yeah, building the team together and putting the different building blocks together is a challenge because nothing existed at first. It's not just a car that we need to build. It's a racing team. An organization. A new identity.

Genesis’ entry into motorsports was kind of a surprise to the racing world. What really happened behind the scenes?

Hyundai Motorsport has been involved in the World Rally Championship for the past 12 years, during which I’ve served as Team Principal since January 2023 and President since January 2024. Early last year, we started to look at different options for a new venture, as we thought it was the right time to assess what could be the next chapter for the Hyundai Motor Group in motorsports. Around summertime last year, we thought that endurance racing was an interesting next step, and ever since then, things moved very, very quickly and very suddenly.

But why endurance racing?

It’s one of those classic heritage racings. We’re not just trying to build the here and now, but also a legacy. Racing in this type of championship against legacy brands allows us to immediately connect the brand with the best of the best in the most iconic racing venues in the world.

Genesis takes pride in its distinctly Korean identity. How is the racing team showcasing its Korean DNA?

We try to be as Korean as we can in both how we look and how we perform. First and foremost, we have the logo design, which is a direct reference to Korean characters. We also reference our connection to Korean culture in the team's identity.

And as for how we perform, one of the things that indeed we like to insist upon is the speed at which we do things. There will be the car testing on tarmac a few months from now, and the car will be racing at the start of 2026. By all standards, we really compressed the timing of what is normally done to an extreme, because we also want to show the speed of Korean culture — or what I’d like to call, Genesis hyperspeed.

About the GMR-001 Hypercar: As an engineer, what’s the relationship between design and performance?

One of the most famous French aero designers used to say that a nice airplane flies well, too. And I tend to believe that. Sometimes, technical regulations can induce you to design cars that are not necessarily very nice-looking because they are extremely sophisticated. I keep thinking of Formula One because that’s where I spent the largest part of my life. There was a period of time when cars were packed with aerodynamic surfaces: lots of wing legs, shark legs and so on and so forth. But in the end, I believe there is no opposition between aesthetics and functionality. In any case, the car that wins is always the more beautiful one.

The GMR-001 Hypercar unveiled last December in Dubai was a half-scale model. When will the world get to see it full-scale?

It has to be released this year because the car will be tested in August. So the car will be revealed a bit before then, around April. We will find a great spot to introduce the car to the world.

What about the people? Where are you searching for members for the racing team?

We are looking for talent on a worldwide basis. I can already tell you that we have secured a chief engineer. I cannot disclose his name yet, but I can tell you he previously worked with some of the most successful brands in motorsports. We are only looking at the best of the best who can bring us not just talent, but also their culture, their background and their network of people.

You must be excited about your two drivers, André Lotterer and Luis “Pipo” Derani.

I'm super, super excited. I was just talking about culture, and from my experience no one's more important than the drivers for building that culture. It’s essential for all of us to bring people who are not just drivers but can also embody the brand and be leaders of the team.  Both André and Pipo are exactly that. André is coming from being the world champion in WEC last year, and Pipo has lots of IMSA experience. It is a great opportunity to get people behind our own steering wheel who have experience with other types of cars.

When the car starts racing in 2026, what are the immediate goals that you have in mind?

Year one will be about system and reliability checks, making sure that the performance is there. And, frankly, if we do that, we can be a regular top-five finisher. And if you are a regular top-five finisher, you can, on some occasions, be on the podium.

After that, we will take it step by step to show that we are a professional, credible force in the races, and that there is a long-term plan. There’s no point in trying to rush or burn the steps. It's not sprint racing, it's endurance racing. It's a totally different philosophy.

It’s been a quick beginning for the team, but have you had any memorable moments?

I think one great moment was Dubai. What's great about Genesis is that it's part of a truly international group, and so many people had worked hard to get ready for the debut and announcing all the things that we announced. When I was on stage at the beautiful location of Burj Khalifa and looked at all the people, and the tower, at that sunset moment, that was really something.

But I'm very sure that there will be other great moments coming up. Every single moment where the team will be feeling that this is becoming more and more real will be exciting. I'm very sure that in a few weeks from now, if everything goes to plan, the first fire-up of the engine will be even more of a moment. We will also have the opening of our new base, which will be very nice also.

DUBAI, Dec. 4, 2024 — Genesis today unveiled its bold new vision for the future of high-performance luxury. In an exciting debut in Dubai, the brand introduced Genesis Magma Racing, marking its first major milestone in the motorsport arena. The event showcased Genesis’ ambitions in endurance racing, illustrating the brand’s dedication to innovation, speed and passion. 

Bringing ‘Athletic Elegance’ to Endurance Racing 

Hyundai Motorsport GmbH (Hyundai Motorsport) underpinned the global race and rally activities for Hyundai Motor Group for over 10 years and will now support the Genesis motorsport operations in the prestigious World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 2026, followed by the participation in IMSA SportsCar Championship (IMSA) in 2027. This venture will position Genesis on the world’s most challenging tracks, showcasing the brand’s engineering expertise and endurance capabilities. 

Endurance racing represents one of the most prestigious and challenging disciplines in motorsport, demanding speed, reliability and strategy over extended periods. Iconic events like the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Daytona 24 require teams to balance peak performance with durability and efficiency, testing both the cars and drivers to their limits. 

At the heart of endurance racing is the Le Mans Daytona h (LMDh) class — a premier category that combines cutting-edge hybrid technology with standardized components to ensure cost control and competitive parity. LMDh cars compete in WEC and IMSA, making them a global platform for showcasing engineering excellence and innovation. 

By entering the LMDh category, Genesis joins an elite group of manufacturers vying for success on the world’s most prestigious racing stages. This move marks a significant milestone for the brand, demonstrating its ability to innovate under the extreme conditions of motorsport while maintaining its commitment to luxury and sustainability. 

“This entry into motorsport is a natural evolution for Genesis,” said Luc Donckerwolke, Chief Creative Officer of Genesis. “As we look to push the boundaries of our brand, motorsport allows us to bring the spirit of hyperspeed — which drives how we create and innovate — in a way that aligns perfectly with our core values: Audacious, Progressive and Distinctly Korean.” 

Introducing the GMR-001 Hypercar 

The centerpiece of Genesis’ motorsport ambitions, the Genesis GMR-001 Hypercar, was revealed alongside the announcement of Genesis Magma Racing. With its striking design, the GMR-001 Hypercar embodies Genesis’ commitment to “Athletic Elegance” in a high-performance, endurance-ready package. 

Another highlight of the event included the reveal of the Genesis Magma Racing logo, which draws direct inspiration from the Korean alphabet (hangeul) spelling of "Magma" (마그마). The design incorporates the consonants “ㅁ,” “ㄱ,” and “ㅁ” as its foundational elements, creating geometric shapes that serve as a dynamic visual representation of Genesis’ heritage. 

“The logo seamlessly blends innovation with cultural authenticity, symbolizing the brand’s distinctly Korean identity and its bold entry into motorsport,” said Donckerwolke. 

Accurately styled with Genesis’ signature Two Lines lighting, the GMR-001 Hypercar projects a confident stance on the track. The sleek, horizontal lights wrap around the front and rear, emphasizing both width and aerodynamic purpose. This unique lighting seamlessly integrates into the car’s flowing bodywork, underscoring Genesis’ minimalist design principles while enhancing visual impact in any environment. 

Meticulous surface design characterizes the body, with each panel crafted to evoke movement, even when the vehicle is at rest. Inspired by the Genesis Magma lineup, the exterior combines subtle sculptural details that underscore the car’s athleticism and high-speed agility. Smoothly contoured surfaces guide airflow across the body, optimizing aerodynamic efficiency while emphasizing the car’s assertive character and confident stance. 

Integrating functional elegance and power, the side profile of the GMR-001 Hypercar features a sweeping Parabolic Line, a Genesis hallmark that transitions fluidly from front to rear. This line enhances airflow toward the rear diffuser, improving downforce and handling on the track. A concave rear section, framed by an active spoiler, adjusts to driving conditions, balancing drag reduction with stability for high-speed racing. 

Reflecting Genesis’ forward-thinking design, the GMR-001 Hypercar was developed at Genesis Design Europe under the guidance of Donckerwolke. The car’s distinctive black finish and design cues drawn from the Magma lineup signal a powerful new era for Genesis performance vehicles. The model serves as both a tribute to Genesis’ design DNA and a forward-looking inspiration for upcoming models, embodying a balance of elegance and raw racing capability. 

“The GMR-001 Hypercar and our Magma models represent a fusion of Genesis’ performance ambitions with our design-driven DNA," said Donckerwolke. "From the intense orange of Magma, symbolizing Korean passion and energy, to the precision engineering behind each component, we are entering a new chapter, where speed meets elegance.” 

Genesis Magma Racing to Rollout in Hyperspeed 

Hyundai Motorsport will play an integral role in driving Genesis Magma Racing’s plans in endurance racing, with President Cyril Abiteboul serving as Team Principal for Genesis Magma Racing. Having recently secured titles in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) and TCR World Tour, Hyundai Motorsport is well-prepared to support Genesis in this bold new venture, working alongside trusted and equally ambitious partners. 

“The official launch of Genesis Magma Racing is a momentous occasion,” said Cyril Abiteboul, President of Hyundai Motorsport GmbH and Team Principal of Genesis Magma Racing. “As the backbone of Hyundai Motor Group’s global motorsport activities, Hyundai Motorsport will play a vital role in this latest ambitious program. We are elevating our circuit racing expertise to a whole new level as we prepare to compete in some of the world’s most challenging series.” 

Driving the Future of Genesis Magma Racing 

The combined expertise of the team behind Genesis Magma Racing is matched by the talent of the drivers who will take the wheel of the GMR-001. André Lotterer and Luis “Pipo” Derani will lead the charge in 2025, taking on technical development duties for the car and conducting simulator sessions to prepare for the debut LMDh season in 2026, where they will both serve as race drivers. 

“I am beyond thrilled and thankful to join the Genesis brand for its entry into endurance racing,” said Lotterer. “After winning the FIA Hypercar World Endurance Drivers’ Championship this year, this opportunity is the perfect fit for me to channel my work, experience, passion and motivation into a new project with a team of highly ambitious individuals. I am excited to start working on this project and build a successful future from the very beginning.” 

Lotterer’s enthusiasm is echoed by his teammate, Derani, who shares the same drive and commitment to the Genesis endurance racing project. 

“The ambition behind Genesis’s endurance racing project and the track record of those involved was an opportunity I couldn’t refuse,” Derani said. “As a driver, being involved in a project from the start is highly rewarding. I look forward to bringing my experience of developing cars and winning titles to the team. Given the competitiveness of LMDh, it will be a big challenge, but I believe all the necessary ingredients are here to make this endurance journey successful.” 

Preparing Solid Foundations 

Ahead of its WEC debut in 2026, the team will collaborate with IDEC Sport to field an LMP2 entry in the 2025 European Le Mans Series (ELMS), featuring a promising lineup of emerging talent. Logan Sargeant (U.S.), Jamie Chadwick (Britain), and 19-year-old Mathys Jaubert (France) will join forces for the ELMS campaign, supporting Genesis Magma Racing’s preparations for endurance racing. 

Genesis Magma Racing will consolidate its operations at a permanent strategic base at Circuit Paul Ricard in the south of France, leveraging its proximity to ORECA Motorsport and IDEC Sport to streamline collaboration. 

A Magma Showcase 

The unveiling of the GMR-001 Hypercar and the announcement of Genesis’ bold motorsport strategy are part of the brand’s broader vision to redefine high-performance luxury. This vision extends beyond the racetrack and is embodied in the five unique Magma concept models that were displayed at the event, each representing the brand’s relentless pursuit of excellence in design and innovation since the introduction of the GV80 Coupe Concept in April 2023. 

The five models on display were: the GV80 Coupe Concept, G80 EV Magma Concept, GV60 Magma Concept, X Gran Berlinetta Concept and X Gran Racer VGT Concept. These concept models highlight the evolution of Genesis’s high-performance capabilities and showcase Genesis Magma's impact on the brand’s direction for its next phase.