Austin, TEXAS, Sep. 7, 2026 — Genesis Magma Racing scored its best FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) result so far at Lone Star Le Mans, with the #17 GMR-001 Hypercar of Pipo Derani, Mathys Jaubert and André Lotterer finishing seventh. On a day which demanded that the drivers cope with changing conditions and high temperatures, the team reached new heights in its debut season.

Strong Pace and Reliability Rewarded With Result

The strong pace and excellent reliability that the team was aiming for were apparent from the very start of the weekend at Circuit of the Americas. Both GMR-001 Hypercars ran without mechanical issues during every session, and in Qualifying, both cars secured a place in Hyperpole for the first time in sessions using the WEC’s regular qualifying format.

Lotterer looked to improve further on Jaubert’s eighth-place qualifying results. He moved from eighth to fifth over the first racing lap, following two extra formation laps after rain fell during the pre-race ceremonies. His progress continued until an abortive move for third at the end of the back straight, which resulted in contact and a spin that dropped the German to the rear of the Hypercar field and drew an additional five-second penalty. As a result, the #17 team turned their focus to recovering the lost positions while managing energy and tires.

A Safety Car in the middle of Pipo Derani’s double stint helped bring the team back into contention and following a second single stint for Lotterer, a Virtual Safety Car with just over an hour remaining, delivered the chance to gain further ground by changing only left-side tires as Jaubert climbed back aboard for the final stint of the six-hour race.

For the final hour, the youngest driver in the Hypercar class went wheel-to-wheel with his more experienced rivals — some of whom had four new tires to his two. A move in traffic moved the #17 car to eighth, which became seventh due to a penalty for the #12 Cadillac — improving on the eighth place scored at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in May.

The strong weekend for the team was completed by the #19 entry of Paul-Loup Chatin, Mathieu Jaminet and Dani Juncadella. Though the final Safety Car fell outside of their pitstop window and forced them to make a final stop after the restart, Jaminet made sure to keep the car on the lead lap during the frantic final hour to tick off a major pre-season goal for the team to begin the second half of the season.

Genesis Magma Racing Team Management Quotes

Gabriele Tarquini, Genesis Magma Racing Sporting Director said: “Overall, I’m very pleased with the performance the GMR-001 Hypercar showed both in qualifying and the race. It’s our best finish of the year so obviously we are happy. We will continue to work on the details to take another step forward in the next races. Of course, I’m a little disappointed because we had the potential to have both cars in the top 10 and scoring points. From a race management point of view, it wasn’t easy because the weather conditions changed throughout the race, and the drivers had to adapt, especially during the first part. Today, the difference between all the cars in the race was just a few tenths of a second, which shows just how tight the competition is. It makes the result even more encouraging and gives us confidence that we can achieve even better results in the upcoming races.”

Justin Taylor, Genesis Magma Racing Chief Engineer said: “We have to look at the positives from this weekend. We got both cars to finish on the lead lap. That was a big goal for us. We got one of the cars in the top 10. Neither car saw the garage with a technical issue, not only in the race, but in any of the practice sessions. I think we can be really proud of that. We've made some big steps, but we've got a long way to go and this race is gonna give us some motivation for that. On the flip side, we made several mistakes in several different areas, so it was a bit of a wake-up call. We need to polish up our procedures and be a bit smarter next time we come to the track to battle these guys.”

Driver Quotes - #17 GMR-001 Hypercar

André Lotterer said: “It’s more points, and our best result so far this year in seventh, so we managed to recover well from the early race mishaps and after I started super well. I had a great start and we started to move forward, but then I went for the move on the Ferrari. We had a good car and a good setup all weekend. From my side, I had fun in the car — it was great to drive, and we were able to achieve some of our goals. Unfortunately, the sister car couldn’t make it into the points, so we need to see what happened. We still need to improve some aspects, but we're here to grow, to become stronger. We've come to Austin and learned more about what we can do for the rest of the year.”

Mathys Jaubert said: “It was not the easiest final stint. I was fighting with very experienced guys and I was struggling because it was very, very warm in the cockpit. It was tricky because we know our car. We are still developing it and in terms of braking, traction, everything, so fighting with them was even harder. Some cars behind me had four new tires, so I knew it was impossible to fight with them. But I knew that the BMW, the Peugeot, the Cadillac were on the same strategy, so I tried my best to fight with them and I think I did a good job. We had the pace for the points and I think we deserve this position. I pushed a lot, trying my best to overtake them. I’m very happy about this result. We would still like to have two cars in the points. There are still three races to go, so in terms of strategy, development, pit stop, everything, we still have a lot to learn and to progress.”

Pipo Derani said: “We'll obviously take this result. It was a very eventful race with lots of Safety Car and Full Course Yellow interventions. It was so crazy. We were at the top, we were at the bottom, and then here we are, finishing P7, taking our best result home and some other big positive points as well. Considering that it's our first year, I think we should be proud of what we achieved today. I couldn't be any happier. We could have done a couple of positions better, but that's almost about it. And I'm proud of how we evolved through the weekend, how we got this car to the checkered flag, and how we continue to develop as a team. It’s been a great weekend for us and there’s still a few more to go, so hopefully we can continue to improve a bit.

Driver Quotes - #19 GMR-001 Hypercar

Dani Juncadella said: “Overall, it’s a nice result for Genesis Magma Racing, with the sister car finishing seventh and achieving our best result so far. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get both cars into the points, we just missed out. We need to take the positives from this weekend and analyze what we can do better in the future. There is still plenty to learn, but we can be happy with the progress we’ve made. We’re looking forward to the next round, and I think we’ll keep getting better and better. I think we can improve on our restarts and how we can manage in traffic. In endurance racing, that’s obviously a way that you can gain some time and positions, but you can also lose a lot. We’ve shown again what the team and GMR-001 Hypercar can do.”

Paul-Loup Chatin said: “I’m very happy for our sister car to finish seventh, which is a great result for the team and for Genesis. I think we showed some positive things with the work we did throughout the week, with good pace in practice and qualifying and excellent reliability on both sides of the garage. We were running together with the sister car until, unfortunately, towards the end of the race we made a mistake with the strategy on our side. These things can happen, but we need to learn from it, because we had the potential to bring both cars home inside the top ten. We’ll take the lessons from this weekend and come back stronger for the rest of the year.”

Mathieu Jaminet said: “Unfortunately, P15 is not the result we wanted, but it was positive to see our sister car finish P7. However, for the first time, we brought both cars home on the lead lap without any technical issues, so that is an important target achieved. On the other hand, today we had the pace and the cars to have both GMR-001 Hypercars in the points, so it is disappointing not to have converted the potential that we showed in qualifying into a race result. There are clearly areas we need to review, as we did not operate at the level we want to as a team. We will keep learning, keep progressing and make sure we take those lessons into the next race.”

2026 Lone Star Le Mans – Hypercar class

Austin, TEXAS, Aug. 28, 2026 — Genesis Magma Racing will make its racing debut in North America for the fifth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) — Lone Star Le Mans at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA). The event comes after the series’ summer break, which gave the team the opportunity to reflect on the progress made during the first half of the season and lessons learned from the 6 Hours of São Paulo.

Gaining Experience on Top of History in North America

At Lone Star Le Mans, which follows the familiar 6-hour format of the WEC, Genesis Magma Racing will be aiming to once again show the strong performance of the GMR-001 Hypercar, proven by the team’s Hyperpole appearances at both the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the latest round in Brazil.

However, the team also hopes to optimize its operations to take advantage of the reliability of the car after bringing both GMR-001 Hypercars to the finish without issues for the first time in Interlagos. To do so, both team and drivers will need to avoid the type of small errors that limited the team’s results in Brazil, as they seek to add to the lone points-scoring finish this season (eighth for the #17 Hypercar of Pipo Derani, Mathys Jaubert and André Lotterer at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in May). 

A test at COTA in late July was crucial in helping the team and drivers prepare for the event. The two days of running helped the team build a baseline setup for the car and an understanding of the track conditions, mindful of the challenges presented by the high ambient and track temperatures. This knowledge will be crucial to the team, making up for their relative lack of experience at the venue — which has hosted an FIA WEC round on eight previous occasions — compared to their rivals in the Hypercar class.

The test was even more important as many of the team have limited experience at the circuit. Lotterer is a past Lone Star Le Mans winner in the LMP1 era of WEC competition and finished sixth in the 2024 edition, while Paul-Loup Chatin and Mathieu Jaminet have Hypercar experience at the circuit from the most recent WEC visits there. On the other hand, for Derani, Jaubert and Dani Juncadella, the test gave them their first Hypercar laps of the circuit. The test was Jaubert’s first-ever visit to the track. Derani, though he has not raced at the circuit since 2016, has enjoyed plenty of success in the U.S. as a two-time IMSA SportsCar champion, while for Jaminet, a return to the circuit where he had previous success, and to the U.S. as the 2025 IMSA champion, is cause for a special one-off helmet design.

The GMR-001 Hypercar’s history in the U.S. goes back even further. In April 2025, the New York International Auto Show hosted the first showing of the full-scale model of the design, sporting a red and orange livery that would eventually be realized as the race livery for the car at the 24 Hours of Le Mans earlier this year.

The U.S. is a key market for Genesis, especially for the brand’s SUV and EV models. This position as one of the leading markets was underlined in recent weeks, when the brand hosted the global launch of the new GV90 model in San Francisco.

Genesis Magma Racing Team Management Quotes

Cyril Abiteboul, Genesis Magma Racing Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul said: “Through the first part of the FIA WEC season we have shown great progress as a team and have achieved many of the goals we set for ourselves at the start of the year. We are still a very new team compared to those we are racing against, but we have shown we are capable of competing with them, which is a great step forward to make in just four races. However, while we have shown great reliability and strong performance, we need to be able to put them together into the complete package more consistently. Our performance at the 6 Hours of São Paulo showed the importance of performing in not just one area, but as a whole team. The WEC is incredibly competitive — maybe more this year than ever — any mistake is very costly, so we need to make eliminating these mistakes the next step in our progress this year.”

Gabriele Tarquini, Genesis Magma Racing Sporting Director said: “From a driver’s perspective, COTA is a very challenging circuit. It is very bumpy in some areas and has a bit of everything, with high-speed corners, heavy braking zones and technical sections where you need a good balance between the car and the driver. It was important that we were able to test there. It gave us the opportunity to understand the circuit and car better before the race weekend, so we can arrive better prepared with a clearer direction. The key thing for us is to continue the progress we have made. In Brazil, we had small mistakes that cost us time and positions. These are the kind of things we need to avoid, especially when the competition is so close. We had some discussions with the drivers to analyze what happened, what we could have done differently and how we can improve. It is important that we learn from these situations and not repeat the same mistakes.”

Justin Taylor, Genesis Magma Racing Chief Engineer said: “We were able to get some good data from the test in very high ambient and track temperatures, which gave us a preview of how the car behaves and responds in the extreme conditions we might face during the race weekend. COTA demands a lot of different things simultaneously, but undoubtedly it is a circuit with high sensitivity to grip. To go fast we need to keep the rubber underneath us, so if it is hot we will need to actively manage the temps to be sure they last a complete stint or even a double. Choosing how to manage qualifying and finding the best way to minimize tire wear in the race will be key. We’ve also used the summer break to work on some weaknesses we’ve identified through the first half of the season, so we can continue to move forward.”

Driver Quotes - #17 GMR-001 Hypercar

Pipo Derani said: “Racing in the United States always feels like coming home. I have incredible memories and milestones from my seasons competing in IMSA, and the American fans bring an authentic energy and passion to the paddock that is unmatched. Returning to compete on U.S. soil on a world championship stage is special, and I want nothing more than to put on a great show for the crowd there. COTA is notoriously demanding on tire degradation and ride compliance over the bumps, but beyond the driving, COTA holds a very special place for me personally. One of my best memories here was back in 2015 during my debut WEC season, having my father by my side at this race. Coming back here always brings those moments to mind. Behind the wheel, it’s a track that demands complete commitment — attacking the uphill climb into Turn 1 and flowing through the Esses on fresh tires is still one of the most rewarding feelings.”

Mathys Jaubert said: “COTA is very demanding, quite different from the tracks we have driven before, and the extreme heat was also an important factor. The circuit is not easy to understand at first. There are a lot of bumps, which make the car quite difficult to drive. That’s why the test was very important for me, to get more comfortable with the track and understand how to approach it. I really like Sector 1, with the sequence of fast corners. It’s very challenging because you need to commit a lot, and it’s probably my favorite part of the circuit. We mainly focused on working on the setup and continuing to develop the different systems on the car. Every day in the car is important, and we were able to work on many different areas, not only the performance of the car, but also our pit stops, our efficiency during operations and our overall organization as a team.”

André Lotterer said: “The test at COTA was really valuable for us. Having the opportunity to run there before the race weekend allowed us to understand the track better with the GMR-001 and work through a number of different setup directions. COTA is quite a demanding circuit, with a great mix of high-speed sections, technical corners and some big braking zones, so there is a lot to get right. After São Paulo, we know there are still areas where we need to improve, and the test gave us some useful information that we can hopefully turn into performance when we come back. The summer break has also given everyone a chance to reset, so I’m looking forward to seeing how we can respond in Austin. It’s a challenging track where you need confidence in the car, especially through the fast first sector. I really like that section when the car is working well; it has a great flow. Hopefully, we can put everything we’ve learned together and have a strong weekend.”

Driver Quotes - #19 GMR-001 Hypercar

Paul-Loup Chatin said: “COTA is a really nice track. The first sector is probably the biggest challenge because of the combination of fast corners and changes of direction. The lap there has a bit of everything: high-speed corners, heavy braking zones and technical sections. It is a track where you really need to be precise, but at the same time you have to attack. The summer break gave everyone the opportunity to reset, analyze the first part of the season and come back with fresh energy. Interlagos was not the result we wanted, but it also highlighted areas where we can improve. The important thing is that we keep pushing together, stay focused on the details and use every opportunity to make the car and the team stronger. We had the opportunity to test some different setup directions last month. We improved our understanding of the car and tires, and validated some of the developments we have been working on. It was an important test to make sure we arrive at the race weekend with a clear direction.”

Mathieu Jaminet said: “I’m super happy to get back to COTA. In the past, it’s been a track that I found suits me really well. It’s a track where I’ve been really successful in GTs — some really good performances and a lot of poles, wins and podiums, so it’s definitely a track I enjoy. Going back to America obviously brings me good memories from my seasons in the IMSA series. I really enjoyed being back at the track at the test and I know I’ll enjoy the race weekend. It’s definitely one of my highlights. I’m actually bringing a special helmet for the event as I really love the US and love Austin. One of the key things we learned from the test was about the tires – obviously with a new spec this year. We had the opportunity to test with the hard compound, which we haven’t driven much this season. There’s a lot of data to analyze and make sure we work in the right direction going into the race.”

Dani Juncadella said: “I’ve only raced at COTA for the last two years in WEC. Last year was a bit of disaster with the changing conditions in the race, which didn’t help us in the GT3 — it was one to forget. But it’s a track I really enjoy. It’s great when you can test directly at the track where you are going to race next and be able to tweak a couple of things, and the team is always coming up with updates for the systems and things to try with the setup for the GMR-001 Hypercar. I think we learned a lot in terms of tire pressures, and how to manage the tires in the heat with a couple of different compounds. The ambient temperature for the race should be similar to what we had for the test, so having this knowledge always helps to see what works and what doesn’t, and I got to know the track behind the wheel of a Hypercar for the first time.”

To the uninitiated, it may seem like a celebration of victory at the world’s most legendary race. The #19 Hypercar had actually finished in 13^th place. But for a debutant team surviving their first brutal 24-hour endurance test, finishing 13^th felt exactly like a win.

The #19 car had to be restarted three times during the 24-hour marathon, nevertheless it survived the demands of the ultimate endurance race. Genesis Magma Racing, a brand-new team in its inaugural year, had done something no other Korean manufacturer had ever done: raced the 24 Hours of Le Mans and finished.

Motorsport’s Most Hallowed Ground

Le Mans is the oldest continuously run motorsport event in the world, with its first race held in 1923. Among all global motorsport events, its legend is comparable only to the Monaco Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500 in history, prestige and significance.

The race has elevated manufacturers and humbled others into obscurity. In its 100-year history, Le Mans was not held only twice: during a nationwide French labor strike in 1936 and during World War II, from 1940 to 1948. The race has evolved from a proving ground for production cars into the pinnacle of endurance racing, where the latest automotive technology — hybrid engines, direct-injection diesel powerplants and advanced materials — is pushed to its absolute limits.

Unlike modern closed racing tracks with uniform safety barriers and standardized features, the Circuit de la Sarthe is semi-permanent and untamed. It winds through the French countryside, connecting through the small city of Le Mans itself. At 13.626 kilometers, it is nearly three times longer than a standard racing circuit. Each corner of the track, named and famous on its own, demands unique approaches. Arnage is one of the most demanding corners on any track, a high-speed left-hander requiring absolute commitment and nerves of steel. Other turns like Porsche Curves, Indianapolis Turn and Mulsanne Corner each demand different skills, different levels of bravery and different calculations of risk.

The sheer length of the circuit creates unique logistical challenges, requiring three safety cars to be deployed across different sections to manage up to 62 simultaneously competing vehicles. Long periods of each lap are run at full throttle, placing an immense burden on engines and drivetrains that must endure this punishment for 24 consecutive hours.

Le Mans demands everything — physical, mental and mechanical — from the car and the team both. For a full day and night, drivers navigate the 13.626-kilometer circuit at speed through blinding daylight, pitch-black darkness, unpredictable weather, mechanical failures and exhaustion. Seventy percent of each lap is run at full throttle, with drivers making 78 gear shifts per lap on average, placing a load on each component beyond any other automotive environment. Teams must manage fuel consumption, tire degradation, pit stop strategy, mechanical and electrical failure as well as driver fatigue. Driving time is strictly limited: no driver can pilot the car for more than four consecutive hours, and no driver can exceed 14 hours total over the 24-hour period.

The most challenging portion of the race is during the “dead zone,” between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. Fatigue peaks, temperatures drop and potential fog, frost or sudden rain exponentially increases the risk of accidents. Because the circuit is so large, rain often only falls on some sections of the track, meaning drivers can encounter sudden downpours while running on slick tires at dawn — a situation drivers describe as pure terror. A single mistake, one curb hit at the wrong moment, one sensor malfunction, one pit stop that takes too long, one mechanical defect in an air pipe can erase months of preparation.

Fewer cars finish Le Mans than start it. Even legendary manufacturers have sent multiple cars only to watch them all retire before reaching the checkered flag. Crossing the checkered flag does not necessarily guarantee a finish either; cars must cover at least seventy percent of the winning car's distance to be classified as a finisher. Success at Le Mans is measured in survival, not just podium position.

Monsieur Le Mans

When Genesis decided to enter the world's most elite endurance series — the FIA World Endurance Championship — there was one voice they wanted in the paddock. Six-time Le Mans winner Jacky Ickx joined Genesis as Brand Partner and Racing Advisor, bringing unparalleled endurance experience and a lifetime of racing wisdom directly into the team.

Jacky Ickx is the name most synonymous with Le Mans mastery. The Belgian driver arrived at Le Mans when the race was in its infancy as a proving ground for automotive engineering. He returned again and again, and won — six times between 1969 and 1982, the first driver in history to win Le Mans that many times. He became known as “Monsieur Le Mans.”

The Ultimate Proving Ground

For Genesis, Le Mans was not just about racing — it was an audacious real-time stress test of the luxury marque’s engineering capabilities. Entering the world’s most punishing endurance arena meant going wheel-to-wheel with legacy manufacturers backed by decades of experience and data. Genesis Magma Racing were well aware of the massive operational and technical challenges ahead. Rather than chasing immediate podiums, the team set a pragmatic goal for their debut: to prove the reliability of the GMR-001 Hypercars by taking them across the finish line. At Le Mans, simply finishing is a triumph in itself.

During the qualifying session on June 10, both cars unexpectedly advanced to the Hyperpole shootout the next day. The #19 car, driven by Paul-Loup Chatin, qualified sixth on the grid. The #17 car, driven by André Lotterer, qualified ninth.

"One of the biggest highlights at Le Mans was being able to qualify both cars in the top 10 — #19 started sixth and my car started ninth," Lotterer said. "That was a very remarkable performance from the team at such an early stage of experience, knowing that we are not yet able to extract everything from the car because we are young, we are still growing, we're still learning, we're still improving our resources to develop the car more, to understand it more."

The 24-Hour Trial

The race began Friday afternoon, June 13 at 4:00 p.m., under clear skies. Both Genesis Magma Racing Hypercars started the race with strong openings and settled into steady rhythms. Around them, familiar names battled — Ferrari, BMW, Toyota, Cadillac — manufacturers with decades of Le Mans experience. For the first six hours, Genesis Magma Racing focused on executing their strategy with efficiency and reliability.

The sun set six hours into the race. The Two-Line headlamp design of both GMR-001 Hypercars made them easy to identify in the darkness. “We have very unique and special lights, which is an iconic design feature of Genesis," said Lotterer. "And to achieve that very small, minimalistic line, there was nothing on the market that could replicate that. So, we developed our own light with new manufacturers. They are very powerful and definitely a nice crossover.”

The race entered the dead zone 11 hours in, at 3 a.m. Just 17 minutes later, an LMP2 crash brought out a Full Course Yellow. Moments after that, the #19 car, driven by Chatin, lost engine power and rolled to a stop at the Arnage turn. With help only available from the team through the radio, Chatin had to restart the electronics himself. Thankfully, the car came back to life and Chatin resumed the race.

Exactly two hours later, the #19 car stopped on track again, and was restarted again. An unknown electrical issue had triggered the shutdowns.

When the #19 pitted 18 minutes later, just a half hour before sunrise, the crew plugged in cables to check the car. Not finding anything, they signaled the car to leave. The engine cut out again just then in the pits — a nerve-wracking moment for a team trying to keep their Le Mans debut alive. But the car restarted once more and again rejoined the race safely. The stop cost the team roughly five minutes, dropping the car from 12th to 15th place.

The sun rose at Hour 14. The #17 car was running smoothly. Lotterer, one of the drivers of the #17, later commented on how it feels to drive. "The feeling of the cars is really good," he said. "I am always very happy with the car balance and the feeling of the car, and it always gives us confidence that we have a good tool." The GMR-001 was strong in the corners and steady on pace, running 10th through the middle hours. Real hope emerged that both Genesis cars might make it through to the finish.

But in the final stretch, with only seven and a half hours to go, Jaubert, who had been steadily running the #17, took a curb too aggressively. The impact damaged the right front suspension. The car could not continue. After running cleanly all race, the #17 was forced to retire.

Still, the #19 remained on track. Despite mysterious electrical gremlins that had caused three restarts and a fall far down the order, it was still running, still in contention to finish. Paul-Loup Chatin took the wheel again for the final hours. The car was running 14^th and 15^th — bouncing around the order as other cars ahead suffered mechanical failures or pit stop disasters.

As the final laps approached, the order began to crystallize. The #19 was running 13th. The car had the pace to maybe climb higher, but time was running out.

Checkered Flag

After a troubled run, the #19 car finally approached the checkered flag. By the time it crossed the line, the crew had already climbed to the top of the pit wall, waving, yelling and celebrating, having accomplished what they set out to do.

"At Le Mans, the race always tests you. The only thing you can choose is how you respond. Our team never stopped pushing. Every lap, every challenge and every piece of data helped us learn. And that’s what motorsport is really about," Lotterer said. “For us, this is only the beginning. We’re learning, improving and getting stronger every time we go racing. I hope you're as excited as we are!”

"At Le Mans, we didn't have any issue with the engines themselves," Lotterer said. “On the #19 car, there was a software glitch where during a Full Course Yellow phase the car had to be reset, but there was nothing from the hardware itself, from the internals, from the engine that had any issues. On my car, #17, there were zero issues at all. This is quite remarkable because in the short time we had to prepare, the engine was the longest it had ever run.”

A Historic Moment for Korean Motorsport

For Genesis, a homegrown Korean brand daring to step onto the sacred asphalt of Le Mans, this was the moment a dream became reality. Genesis Magma Racing left the starting grid as newcomers, proving themselves to be serious competitors. After 24 relentless hours, the team emerged on the other side of the gauntlet. In a sport where simply reaching the finish is an achievement in itself, the #19 Hypercar finishing was not just a successful debut — it was a historic arrival. They had carved their name permanently into Le Mans history.

"Our dream is obviously to win, but we are very humble and we respect our opponents," Lotterer said. “We know that in the first year this is something very difficult to achieve, and we've already achieved more than what we hoped for. The more time goes on, the more expectations will be higher because we won't have the excuse of being rookies anymore. There we will have to show our true performance. In the near future, we are definitely aiming to be a winning team and not just participate. So, this is clearly an objective, and this is why it’s important now to establish ourselves correctly for the years to come.”

LE MANS, France, June 14, 2026 — Genesis Magma Racing took a hard-fought finish from the tough challenge of its first start in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, bringing home the #19 GMR-001 Hypercar in 13th place. Completing 372 laps of the 13.626-kilometer Circuit de la Sarthe, the result completed a week where the performance of the car and team had surprised many in the paddock. 

Finish Completes Strong Week for Le Mans Underdogs

Even before beginning the weekend, Genesis Magma Racing recognized the magnitude of the challenge they faced. The first South Korean manufacturer to contest the race faced its first 24-hour race in only its third-ever competitive start, making it a significant underdog against the more experienced teams, and the simple challenge of lasting the 24 hours of one of motorsport’s most famed events.

Sixth and ninth place in qualifying proved the potential pace of the GMR-001 Hypercar, but after the 4 p.m. start on Saturday both the #17 — started by André Lotterer — and the #19 driven by Dani Juncadella, settled into the team’s own rhythm as they focused on executing their strategy with efficiency and reliability in mind, rather than immediate performance.

However, with both cars running without any major incidents, and the team completing each pitstop equally flawlessly, this approach began to pay off as the race progressed from Saturday night to Sunday morning. After opting to stay out during the race’s first Safety Car period both cars regained the lead lap. Through the earliest hours of the morning both Mathieu Jaminet in the #19 and Mathys Jaubert in the #17 completed quadruple stints. Jaminet was able to run as high as fourth at times though Jaubert’s pace was dampened by a rear puncture that demanded an unscheduled pitstop.

Unfortunately, at around 4 a.m. having taken over from Jaminet, Paul-Loup Chatin stopped on track, the #19 needing a power cycle before it could rejoin. Though it initially appeared cured, the issue would repeat shortly after, knocking the car out of contention for a strong finish. Worse still, while challenging for points in the #17 entry, Jaubert suffered a suspension failure, putting the car out of the race on the spot.

Immediately, the team’s focus became ensuring the #19 would see the checkered flag. Though a stop to solve a mechanical issue lost the team a further four laps, it gave Chatin, Juncadella and Jaminet the best possible chance. Better still, as other Hypercar competitors also felt the strain of the pace, they were able to make up positions that, while still missing out on points, added to the many positives that the team could already take away from their Le Mans debut.

Genesis Magma Racing Team Management Quotes

Cyril Abiteboul, Genesis Magma Racing Team Principal, said: “Our first 24 Hours of Le Mans with Genesis Magma Racing ends on a positive note. Getting one car to the finish was our main objective, while the #17 unfortunately retired with suspension failure. We faced a number of reliability challenges which will be our priority moving forward. Despite this, the car showed strong potential throughout the week, especially during the first half of the race, where we were consistently fighting inside the top 10. While we faced challenges, the team showed great resilience, composure and teamwork. Everyone stayed focused, reacted calmly to every situation and worked together to achieve our goal. The drivers were also outstanding, managing both the race and the machinery exceptionally well. We leave Le Mans with the satisfaction of having achieved our main objective, but also with a very clear understanding of the areas we need to improve. Those priorities will help guide and unite us as we continue to build our foundations as a team.”

Gabriele Tarquini, Genesis Magma Racing Sporting Director, said: “This is a great achievement for Genesis Magma Racing. In the beginning, especially last year when we started this project, it was impossible to even imagine that we, by our third race we could score points in Spa and finish the race in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. That's great. That's unbelievable. Even in our dreams, the best dreams, we cannot imagine to finish this race. The big race started last year the first time Pipo jumped in the GMR-001 Hypercar in Le Castellet, and it's not finished today and probably it will not finish at the end of the season. It will be a long race and in this race, the target is to fight for the win.”

Justin Taylor, Genesis Magma Racing Chief Engineer, said: “First 24 Hours of Le Mans and first finish. No one can ever do that again for Genesis, or for South Korea. That was the first time. I can't believe it, honestly. I knew we could do it, but seeing it now in person it's still surreal. I'm just so proud of all the people. We keep making steps forward towards our goals and today we made another one of them possible through teamwork and determination. It shows in our performances in Imola, then Spa and then how we showed up here. We keep improving and we intend to keep that path going. We’ve got 364 days from tomorrow to get going for the 2027 24 Hours of Le Mans.”

Anouck Abadie, Genesis Magma Racing Team Manager, said: “We've done it. We finished our first 24 Hours of Le Mans as Genesis Magma Racing. The whole team was waiting for the #19 GMR-001 Hypercar to cross the line to make sure that it was real. We've done it, but I'm a bit sad for the #17 car because they deserved to cross the finish line as well. For the whole team, I'm super happy, super proud. Now we need to make sure to be back even stronger next year. We still need to improve a bit because we are new and we need to work again and again together. But, the guys did an amazing job because it's the first 24 Hours for the team and to make no mistakes in the pits at all was impressive.“

Driver Quotes - #17 GMR-001 Hypercar

André Lotterer said: “We definitely showed the world who Genesis is. I think we surprised a few people and achieved more than we could hope for with our new team, new car, new brand, everything. It was definitely a great adventure at Le Mans, and we can come back proud because to have done that, in such a short time, it's quite remarkable. Unfortunately, of course, we wanted to finish the race and it ended with a technical problem that we need to understand more. It's a shame for sure. But our engine lasted, everything around it lasted until that point and we didn't have any big problems during the race which was quite remarkable. We need to study and come back stronger but I think for our first Le Mans appearance it was very positive, especially with the sister car reaching the finish to complete the weekend.”

Mathys Jaubert said: “I don't know really what happened. I think the suspension broke on the curb, which was a bit unfortunate, but we need to properly check the parts to find out.  We were having a good race, with no issues on the engine, which was quite important for us in terms of reliability. However, we are here to learn and this is now a point that we have to take a look and understand what broke and why. But it was quite fun, the car was really nice to drive, the balance was great and everything was running perfectly so I enjoyed it a lot. It has been a very long week, working a lot with the team, everybody. We made a lot of progress since day one here in Le Mans. P3 in Hyperpole 1 and then being in the running for points today it was just amazing.”

Pipo Derani said: “Of course we wanted to bring the car to the checkered flag but it was something completely out of our control. I think Genesis Magma Racing did a fantastic job up until that point. The car was running flawlessly. It is what it is sometimes. You have some mechanical failures and that's part of racing, but the good thing is that the car has shown a lot of promise and we will be back stronger. It's part of Le Mans also. You have just got to navigate through the chaos and try to bring the car to the checkered flag in the best possible way. Unfortunately, I wish I could have had a few more stints out there, but it wasn't meant to be this year.

Driver Quotes - #19 GMR-001 Hypercar

Dani Juncadella said: “As a team we came here with the goal to finish the race and we did exactly that. So, an absolutely incredible job from the whole team. Great preparation for the future and I'm pretty sure with the current car we have in the GMR-001 Hypercar, we can have a shot at winning one day. That's the best part. It was really hot at the end of the race, but the car was good to drive. Everything was going well. Even in the heat our car was very competitive, so I think that sets a lot of things we can test to prepare ourselves for the future, for any condition. We did a lot of laps, a lot of data gathered, which is great. I‘m looking forward to the next one. My next race and next Le Mans.“

Mathieu Jaminet said: “It's definitely been a roller coaster for us, but that's what you expect in your first 24 Hours, as a new team, a new car. Obviously, I think we showed better pace than maybe we expected. For sure we had a couple of issues, but we fought back. We were lucky to have a safety car and then we started to have some fun actually in the night with me, climbing up the order and having some fights with some quick cars. And when it started to look good to be well established in the top eight, we had the car have an issue. The reality comes back quick at you in endurance racing. Anything can happen from one minute to another. But no one ever gave up. We just made history. The first ever Korean brand to make it the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the first one for Genesis.”

Paul-Loup Chatin said: “Yeah, I'm super proud and super happy for the entire team. I think we deserve this finish. Le Mans is the hardest race in the world to finish, let alone to win of course. To achieve that it's thousands and thousands of hours of work behind to make sure that the car is the best prepared possible and then during the entire week it's all about details, all about management, all about team cohesion, team spirit and I think it's where we succeeded today. We work all together in the same direction and we just have to be super proud of ourselves. We wrote a bit of history today and I think it's just something crazy for the amazing job the team has done since the beginning of the program.”

LE MANS, France, June 12, 2026 — While Genesis Magma Racing’s debut in the 24 Hours of Le Mans is an undoubted milestone for the team in its first-ever year of competition, the squad and Genesis as a manufacturer offered invited media a first glimpse at one potential future project, unveiling the Genesis Magma GT3 Concept at a press conference at the Circuit de la Sarthe.

New Concept Shows One Potential Future

Speaking at a press conference hosted at Genesis’ corporate hospitality unit overlooking the final corners of the circuit, Genesis Magma Racing Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul introduced the Genesis Magma GT3 Concept alongside Genesis Chief Creative Officer Luc Donckerwolke.

“The Genesis Magma GT3 Concept is one potential future direction for Genesis Magma Racing, alongside our FIA WEC Hypercar entry, as we grow to support the entire Genesis brand,” said Abiteboul. “Since the very start, we have stated that Genesis Magma Racing is a long-term project, and here we have one possible direction we can take. Like Hypercar, GT3 is another of the recent success stories in motorsport.”

He added: “Having Genesis and Genesis Magma Racing represented there would closely link the road-going and racing sides of the brand and add further to our profile in world motorsport.”

The Genesis Magma GT3 Concept has been developed in alignment with GT3 technical regulations, reflecting a performance-led approach shaped by motorsport requirements. Conceived as an independent study, it explores how race-driven architecture, aerodynamics and engineering principles could inform future Genesis performance vehicles, rather than being derived from an existing road-going model.

During the same press conference, the Magma GT Concept — first revealed in November alongside the GV60 Magma — was presented with an all-new interior, illustrating a parallel exploration of how race-inspired thinking could translate into a refined road-going grand tourer. Together, the two concepts highlight one potential pathway for connecting Genesis’ motorsport ambitions with its evolving performance portfolio, without confirming specific production or racing plans.

“The Magma GT Concept and Magma GT3 Concept represent two distinct yet connected expressions of Genesis performance,” explained Donckerwolke. “The Magma GT Concept embodies our vision of luxury and athleticism on the road, while the Magma GT3 Concept translates that philosophy into the race environment, where every element is driven by performance, efficiency and purpose. Together, they demonstrate how Genesis is exploring the full spectrum of high performance — from refined grand touring to uncompromising motorsport.”

Continued Expansion at Le Mans and Across Europe

Alongside its motorsport ambitions, Genesis continues to accelerate its European growth strategy. After announcing last year its expansion into new markets in Italy, France, the Netherlands and Spain, the manufacturer is now preparing for further entry into Poland, Austria, Portugal and Denmark as part of its long-term global vision.

Genesis’ presence at the 24 Hours of Le Mans has also expanded, one year on from the first European showing of the GMR-001 Hypercar design — then only a show car. Now a fully-fledged Hypercar team, a Le Mans debut makes them the first Korean manufacturer to participate in the famous race, as well as providing the toughest examination of the team operations and the reliability of the GMR-001 Hypercar while still at a very early point in the life of the team and car.

Further underscoring its presence at Le Mans, Genesis will showcase two evolved X Gran Convertible Concept models — originally introduced at the 2025 Seoul Mobility Show — during the Drivers’ Parade in Le Mans city center later today. Building on the earlier concept, these latest iterations represent a refined and more visually striking evolution, further aligning the model with Genesis’ expanding Magma portfolio. As an architectural study rooted in the G90, the updated concepts embody a more pronounced expression of Magma design, reinforcing Genesis’ commitment to continuous enhancement and progressive luxury.

Both vehicles feature distinctive color and material selections while exploring a more open, emotional and human interpretation of Genesis luxury. One model, finished in Liquid Titanium, expresses the dynamic qualities of the racing environment through its GMR-inspired colorway, while the other — in Midnight Teal — embodies a calmer, more sophisticated palette, complemented by tartan-inspired textiles for a relaxed yet elegant atmosphere.

The X Gran Convertible Concepts will be driven by Genesis brand ambassador and race advisor Jacky Ickx, alongside reserve driver and Genesis Magma Racing trajectory driver Jamie Chadwick.

These enhanced concept models further explore an emotional and approachable form of Genesis luxury, where racing energy, hospitality, elegance and quiet refinement coexist through materials, colors and atmosphere. Their appearance highlights the brand’s evolving design identity and its growing connection with global motorsport audiences beyond the circuit.

LE MANS, France, June 12, 2026 — Building on its previous Le Mans participation, Genesis steps up to the Hypercar class at the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans, marking a defining new chapter in its global motorsports journey.

At a press conference held within the Genesis Hospitality inside the famed Circuit de la Sarthe, the brand unveiled the Magma GT3 Concept, outlined a potential future vision for Genesis and Genesis Magma Racing, and shared plans to expand its presence into new European markets as part of its broader global growth strategy.

Through their entry with the Genesis GMR-001 Hypercar in the Hypercar class at the race, held June 13-14 (local time) in Le Mans, France, Genesis Magma Racing aim to mark a new milestone in Korean motorsports history while demonstrating their brand competitiveness in the global market.

José Muñoz, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor Company, said, “Genesis has grown faster than any other luxury automotive brand, and we’re thrilled to be competing in the world’s toughest endurance race where we’ll be able to validate our performance under pressure. We’re humble, but we’re hungry, and we know there is hard work ahead. We’re bringing lessons from the track to our Magma performance vehicles and in how we run the business. In a 24-hour race where anything can happen, the team needs to be seamless in how we support each other and find creative solutions to win. It’s a perfect analogy for how we’re managing uncertainty and focused on delivering exceptional vehicles, technology and service for our customers.”

Early Momentum in WEC Debut Season Sets the Stage for Le Mans

Genesis Magma Racing have already demonstrated competitiveness in their debut season in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).

Notably, the team secured points in Round 2 at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, proving its stable driving performance and operational capability despite being in its inaugural season.

Building on this experience, Genesis will prioritize completing the 24-hour race at Le Mans, while also striving to deliver competitive results.

Magma GT and Magma GT3 Concepts Signal Next Evolution in Performance Vision

At Le Mans, Genesis unveiled the Magma GT Concept and Magma GT3 Concept, outlining a clear vision for the brand’s future across luxury performance and motorsport.

While an earlier version of the Magma GT Concept was revealed in November 2025, the model has since been reintroduced at Le Mans with an all-new interior, reflecting the evolution of the Magma program. Conceived as a two-passenger luxury grand tourer, the Magma GT Concept blends athleticism and elegance in a manner distinctive to the brand. Its design is defined by a low-slung front end, wide fenders and dynamic mid-engine proportions, while sculptural surfaces and aerodynamic detailing highlight the brand’s Athletic Elegance philosophy.

Inside, the concept combines a twin-cockpit layout with a driver-centric architecture, centered around an analog instrument cluster inspired by motor racing timekeeping instruments and complemented by tactile controls that emphasize precision and engagement. The result is a refined yet immersive cabin that reinterprets the modern luxury GT experience — balancing performance, comfort and craftsmanship.

Making its global debut at Le Mans, the Genesis Magma GT3 Concept outlines a potential future direction for Genesis Magma Racing as it expands beyond its FIA WEC Hypercar program. Conceived as part of a long-term motorsport strategy, the concept reflects the growing relevance of GT3 competition and its potential to strengthen the connection between Genesis’ road cars and racing activities, positioning both the Genesis and Genesis Magma Racing brands within this category to more closely link road-going and racing portfolios while further elevating their profile in global motorsport.

The Genesis Magma GT3 Concept has been developed in alignment with GT3 technical regulations, reflecting a performance-led approach shaped by motorsport requirements. As an independent study, it explores how race-driven architecture, aerodynamics and engineering principles could inform future Genesis performance vehicles, rather than being derived from an existing road-going model.

Optimized for performance, the GT3 Concept features widened tracks, a prominent front splitter, enlarged ducts and a door-mounted fin to enhance aerodynamic efficiency and cooling. Advanced thermal management strategies, along with a race-focused rear structure incorporating a fixed wing and diffuser, support durability under endurance racing conditions.

Developed in collaboration with Hyundai Motorsport, the GT3 Concept remains under exploration, with architecture, components and potential development pathways yet to be defined. As one of several possible scenarios, it demonstrates how Genesis is exploring opportunities beyond LMDh.

Together, the Magma GT and GT3 Concepts illustrate a cohesive approach, where motorsport serves as both inspiration and testing ground for future Genesis performance and design.

Luc Donckerwolke, Chief Creative Officer of Genesis, said, “The Magma GT Concept and Magma GT3 Concept represent two distinct yet connected expressions of Genesis performance. The Magma GT Concept embodies our vision of luxury and athleticism on the road, while the Magma GT3 Concept translates that philosophy into the race environment, where every element is driven by performance, efficiency and purpose. Together, they demonstrate how Genesis is exploring the full spectrum of high performance — from refined grand touring to uncompromising motorsport.”

Motorsport as a Catalyst for Global Expansion

Alongside its motorsport ambitions, Genesis continues to accelerate its European growth strategy, expanding into new markets including Italy, France, the Netherlands and Spain, while preparing for further entry into Poland, Austria, Portugal and Denmark as part of its long-term global vision.

The brand’s presence on the world stage — through both endurance racing and market expansion — reflects a unified strategy to elevate Genesis as a modern, performance-driven luxury brand.

A Presence Beyond the Track

Further underscoring its presence at Le Mans, Genesis will showcase two evolved X Gran Convertible Concept models — originally introduced at the 2025 Seoul Mobility Show — during the Drivers’ Parade in Le Mans city center later today. Building on the earlier concept, these latest iterations represent a refined and more visually striking evolution, further aligning the model with Genesis’ expanding Magma portfolio. As an architectural study rooted in the G90, the updated concepts embody a more pronounced expression of Magma design, reinforcing Genesis’ commitment to continuous enhancement and progressive luxury.

Both vehicles feature distinctive color and material selections while exploring a more open, emotional and human interpretation of Genesis luxury. One model, finished in Liquid Titanium, expresses the dynamic qualities of the racing environment through its GMR-inspired colorway, while the other — in Midnight Teal — embodies a calmer, more sophisticated palette, complemented by tartan-inspired textiles for a relaxed yet elegant atmosphere.

The X Gran Convertible Concepts will be driven by Genesis brand ambassador and race advisor Jacky Ickx, alongside reserve driver and Genesis Magma Racing trajectory driver Jamie Chadwick.

These enhanced concept models further explore an emotional and approachable form of Genesis luxury, where racing energy, hospitality, elegance and quiet refinement coexist through materials, colors and atmosphere. Their appearance highlights the brand’s evolving design identity and its growing connection with global motorsport audiences beyond the circuit.

LE MANS, France, June 12, 2026 — Genesis Magma Racing scored a shock result in their first 24 Hours of Le Mans, as both GMR-001 Hypercars qualified in the top 10 for the event. Having progressed through both Hyperpole sessions, Paul-Loup Chatin and André Lotterer placed the cars seventh and 10th in the final session to complete a strong team performance.

Focus Remains on Race Despite Qualifying Pace

The team, the first South Korean manufacturer to compete in the famous endurance race, started the event with their focus firmly on working on the reliability and drivability of the car.

Throughout the practice running, the team worked on a number of setup solutions, improving the car at every opportunity, as well as confirming the performance of the Two-Line design headlights in competition for the first time during Wednesday night’s two-hour session, which finished at midnight.

The team’s qualifying campaign began on Wednesday evening, with Pipo Derani and Dani Juncadella at the wheel of the two GMR-001 Hypercars. Juncadella briefly had the #19 entry as high as fourth before those behind found further improvements. The Spaniard ended the 30-minute session 11th, with Derani holding 13th to progress to the Hyperpole 1 session for the fastest 15 in the 18-car Hypercar class.

For the first Hyperpole session, Mathys Jaubert and Mathieu Jaminet took the wheel of the two cars. Both drivers had their starring moments in the 20-minute session, Jaminet second fastest after the opening flying laps. Jaubert — the youngest driver on the Hypercar grid this season — claimed the top time with just a minute left, though he would finish the session third quickest to secure Lotterer a spot in Hyperpole 2 session.

The experienced German lost his first flying lap to track limits, limiting his efforts to ninth place.

Chatin’s first lap placed the #19 on the edge of the top five, and though the French driver improved on his own time, he could not improve his position as others found extra pace in the critical moments of the session.

Despite the promising pace shown throughout the qualifying and practice sessions, Genesis Magma Racing’s focus remains on securing classified finishes for both its cars on the team’s 24 Hours of Le Mans debut. The season’s longest — and also most important — race is a significant challenge for any team, let alone one in only its third race, making the team undoubted underdogs in both reliability and performance. However, the squad remain focused on executing a trouble-free race of their own, knowing that this can bring its own rewards, as seen already this year.

Genesis Magma Racing Team Principal Quote

Cyril Abiteboul, Genesis Magma Racing Team Principal, said: “P6 and P9 is obviously an outstanding performance for our first entry in Le Mans. It was already a great feeling yesterday to have both cars make it through to Hyperpole, but it was another level of team effort to achieve what we did today. Even though it's all about the race and what we do on Saturday and Sunday, despite being a new entrant in the sport, we were keen on demonstrating our ambitions. Since the program started, we have said that the GMR-001 Hypercar is a healthy race car, that this team has potential, that the drivers are good — there is nothing better than a good old qualifying session to show it, and that's exactly what we did. But again, the most difficult part is yet to come, so now it's back to the drawing board and full focus on the race weekend."

Driver Quotes - #17 GMR-001 Hypercar

Pipo Derani said: “It was nice to get to see what the car can do. Obviously, we made it with the two cars through to Hyperpole after my session, which was already a mega job. Super happy. Obviously, we still believe there's a couple of things that could be better, but let's take the positives. It was great for the team and continue to improve throughout the weekend, but very positive quality for us today.”

Mathys Jaubert said: “It was something special. It was my first time qualifying in Hypercar. Last year, I really enjoyed doing this in LMP2, but this was my first experience in a Hypercar. I had an issue with the dash and wasn't able to see my lap time or whether I was improving, so I was driving without really knowing where I stood. In a way, though, it simplified things. I just told myself, 'Okay, push as much as possible and let's see what the result is at the end.’ And actually, it wasn't bad. I tried to push as much as possible without making mistakes. We always try to push at 100%, but still leave a little margin here and there, and in the end it was a nice lap.”

André Lotterer said: “An amazing effort from the whole team to come this far with our car. It's a new team and a new car, so hats off to everyone because that's already a hell of an achievement. It was unexpected, you know. We came here with no expectations because we knew performance would be difficult, but in the end, somehow, we were there. On my side, I didn't do any qualifying preparation or anything like that. I hadn't driven the car on low fuel with new tires, so I had to adapt. Then I got a track limit on my first lap, which was deleted, so I had to try again on the second one. After that, the rhythm was gone, and I also had a slow puncture, but it's still a really positive result. We also managed to prepare well for the race, which is important too. Anyway, I'm very happy for the whole team. It's good motivation heading into the race."

Driver Quotes - #19 GMR-001 Hypercar

Paul-Loup Chatin said: “I'm super proud and happy for the entire team. Having both cars in Hyperpole 2 for our first year at Le Mans is just amazing. Everyone has done an incredible job, and tonight we have to celebrate! Tomorrow, we'll be back and fully focused on the race, of course, but it's part of motorsport. There are milestones in the development of a project that you need to reach and celebrate. I think we can be super proud tonight. Of course, we had never run a set of tires before Hyperpole because we were very focused on the race. It was a bit of a surprise to be in Hyperpole 2, so we were probably not the best prepared for that. But in the end, P7 is an amazing result, and now we can focus on the race.”

Mathieu Jaminet said: “Pretty incredible qualifying. Obviously, on car #19, we had a small technical issue. We had to change the engine, and a few things didn't go as well as we wanted. So, you know, we had a lot of uncertainties going into Hyperpole. Everything worked out more or less okay, just enough to make it through. The same goes for car #17. And then, André and Paul-Loup did the job at the end. We will start P6 and P9, for our first Le Mans. If someone had offered that to me 10 days ago, I would have definitely taken it. So yeah, it's an amazing first step. Obviously, what counts is the race, but we can be proud of what we achieved today. Now, we start preparing for the race.”

Dani Juncadella said: “It was an exciting session. It was my first time qualifying the car with low fuel and new tires, which was exciting. We were only nine-tenths from the quickest cars in the first qualifying session. That we very exciting already for our first time at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and my first time personally here in a Hypercar. Then Mathieu and Paul-Loup did a superb job in Hyperpole. A massive congrats to the whole team for a great car.”

Thanks to an aggressive, perfectly executed pit strategy under a Virtual Safety Car, Derani held his ground in the closing stages. He crossed the line in eighth place to secure the marque's first-ever points in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). Meanwhile, despite early electrical setbacks, the sister #19 car also brought it home, proving the engineering resilience of the newcomer team.

“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,” said Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul. “We are still a very young team, and this result is an extremely emotional moment for all our members.”

Scoring points in just the team’s second start is a massive achievement. But the true story of Spa is not just what happened on the track; it is the unprecedented, hyperspeed journey that got the cars there in the first place. With just 499 days between its public announcement and its first official race, the marque transformed an ambitious concept into a fully operational force in the WEC. It was a rapid ascent that defied conventional motorsport wisdom, but for the team behind the GMR-001 Hypercar, it represents a lifetime dream fulfilled and a bold new chapter for Korean motorsports.

From Dream to Reality — A Belgian Homecoming

For Genesis Chief Creative Officer Luc Donckerwolke, this rapid ascent to the starting grid is far more than a corporate milestone. It is a deeply personal homecoming. Growing up in Belgium, Donckerwolke spent his childhood watching his hero, Jacky Ickx, dominate the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Ickx cemented his legendary status as “Monsieur Le Mans” with a historic six victories and became a global icon.

But Ickx wasn't just larger than life on the television screen. He was also immortalized in ink. As a young boy, Donckerwolke avidly read the iconic French motorsport comic book series “Michel Vaillant.” Ickx frequently appeared in the comics alongside the fictional protagonist and was famously one of the few real-world drivers whom creator Jean Graton allowed to beat Michel Vaillant on the page. The combination of Ickx’s real-world dominance and comic-book heroism deeply influenced Donckerwolke, helping to ignite the passion that drove him to become one of the world's leading automotive designers.

Today, childhood fan and childhood hero have united. Ickx joined Genesis as a Brand Partner and Racing Advisor, bringing his unparalleled endurance experience directly into the paddock. For Donckerwolke, it is the realization of a lifelong ambition.

“I grew up watching Jacky winning Le Mans as a kid and basically, I’ve always had this dream of having Genesis Magma Racing since I joined Genesis,” Donckerwolke reflected. “When Cyril joined us, the first thing I did was invite him to the design studio and say my dream is to race Le Mans. And then you know, three years later we are here, 530 days after getting the green light from the Executive Chair to go racing.”

For Ickx, who is not one to rest on his laurels, returning to race at Spa-Francorchamps with a young, ambitious team is an exciting opportunity to look forward to. The legendary driver is famous for keeping his eyes firmly fixed on what’s in front of him in the moment.

“The opportunity to be in action with a nice project surrounded by talented people with a goal, an objective, pah! What a privilege!” Ickx noted. “When I say I’m not nostalgic about my past, I really mean it. I have no trophies at home, because I always think it’s behind me. Indeed, there are some lessons to pick up along the way, but I’m only nostalgic about the people who change your life.”

Hyperspeed Execution

The clock began ticking in September 2024 when the internal decision was made to bring Genesis to the racetrack. Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul was tasked with orchestrating this massive undertaking, relying heavily on his decades of elite motorsport experience.

“It meant more or less a year and a half to build everything from scratch, from the decision that took place in September of 2024 to the first race in 2026,” Abiteboul explained. “That was driving a lot of the choices, from how to find the right powertrain to how to build the team and how to find the right technical partners for the program.”

The timeline forced Abiteboul to make rapid, pragmatic decisions regarding insourcing versus outsourcing.

“Our brand is all about authenticity, so it's not about just being a sponsor, taking third parties’ technologies or just putting our name on an existing car,” Abiteboul emphasized. “There was a genuineness in what we wanted to do. So where do we start? You start at finding how to be very time efficient, which is also cost efficient.”

To meet this aggressive schedule, the team had to be ruthless in its efficiency. Abiteboul, drawing on his extensive Formula One experience, knew that geography would play a critical role in the team’s operational success.

“Endurance is a very French sport,” Abiteboul noted. “We decided also to go very close to [French chassis builder partner ORECA] in order to fast track and optimize collaboration. We are quite close to a track based in the south of France. But it’s also because it’s close to a racetrack. And that’s extremely useful, because we can maximize the number of times that we go testing. In just one evening, we can just go outside of our workshop and we do testing on what is one of the best racetracks.”

Forging the Hypercar

The physical realization of this design philosophy happened at a blistering pace. By February 2025, just months after the initial announcement, the team celebrated a massive technical milestone when the bespoke G8MR 3.2l Turbo V8 engine was successfully fired up at Hyundai Motorsport’s headquarters in Germany. The engine’s rapid development was a masterclass in pragmatic innovation.

“Because we needed an engine in a very short time, Cyril came up with this great idea of using components we had on the shelves by putting two four-cylinder engines together to make a V8, which is incredible,” Donckerwolke said. “Suddenly, you have a 3.2-liter V8 based on components that we know are functioning, and that was the accelerator of the whole process.”

Knowing that track experience is invaluable, Genesis launched the Trajectory Program in March 2025 with partner IDEC Sport. By April, Genesis Magma Racing Trajectory Program drivers made their race debut in the European Le Mans Series, scoring an immediate LMP2 class victory in Barcelona. In May, they secured an overall win at the 4 Hours of Le Castellet followed by a crucial run at the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.

Abiteboul championed this step-by-step approach. “To realize our vision, we put together a plan — not just to show Genesis headquarters, but also to the people of Korea. And for that, you need to show that this is going to be a very serious, stable and long-term project. We are going to give ourselves all the resources not just to participate, but also to do well.”

In July 2025, the first chassis met its engine for a full-car fire-up. By August, the GMR-001 Hypercar took to the track at Circuit Paul Ricard, completing over 500 laps. Autumn was dedicated to grueling endurance testing across Portugal and Spain. By December, the engine had surpassed 8,000 kilometers of rigorous track running and the 2026 driver lineup was finalized with promotions from the Trajectory Program.

Building a Korean Motorsport Culture

While the logistical framework was being laid in France, the aesthetic and emotional story of the hypercar was also in the making. For a Korean luxury marque that prides itself on its “Athletic Elegance” design philosophy, stepping into the brutal arena of the FIA WEC required tapping into a different kind of energy.

“What happened is, we did our homework, and we made cars that were premium. But then, we don’t have a hundred years of heritage or hundred years of motorsport,” Donckerwolke explained. “And if you are in this segment, you have to have different facets to your program. You cannot just say, let’s make great cars to bring the kids to school or to go golfing.”

Donckerwolke’s ambitions extended far beyond simply selling cars globally. He recognized that for Genesis to truly embrace its future, the brand needed to proudly project its Korean DNA onto the international racetrack, while simultaneously igniting a passion for motorsports within its home country.

“I discovered 10 years ago that there was no motorsport culture [in Korea],” Donckerwolke recalled. “So I said, my goal is to bring motorsport to Korea. And by doing this, I wanted to start growing the Korean public’s interest in motorsport and get that to be part of the parameters that you look for when you buy a car.”

This cultural mission became a central pillar of the Genesis Magma Racing project.

“Everything that we've done was also in order for the Korean audience to identify with the Genesis Magma Racing team,” Donckerwolke added. “For instance, having the Korean hangeul characters on the livery of our cars was so that there’s an association with our Korean roots. It’s instantly recognizable by the public.”

The Human Element

Despite the cutting-edge technology, the telemetry data and the carbon fiber aerodynamics, the success of Genesis’ entry into endurance racing ultimately rests on human shoulders. Jacky Ickx is quick to remind anyone who will listen that the drivers who get the glory are merely the final link in a massive chain of human effort.

“You are nobody. If you think you did it alone, you are totally on the wrong path,” Ickx stated emphatically as the roar of racing engines could be heard in the background. “You are the result of those you never see or work in the shadows. And those represent, in my opinion, 90 percent of the guys you have seen in the garage. When they are ready, their engineers and their mechanics give you a tool, or the potential to win.”

Ickx points to the modern pit stop as the ultimate example of this collective human perfection.

“You know in Formula One, when they change the four wheels in three seconds, it's considered a bad pit stop,” Ickx marveled. “The record is 1.9 seconds for the four wheels. It’s impressive. Every detail is important and everyone has a very important role — the driver is only there to finish the job.”

This focus on the collective is a natural fit for a Korean marque. Ickx observed that the cultural efficiency of the Korean business mindset is a massive advantage in the paddock.

“[In Korea] ‘bbali-bbali’ means when you decide something, you’re instantly ready to climb the mountain. You go for it. You have no time to lose, no time to argue or discuss. [As soon as] the decision is taken, you behave like a missile,” Ickx said.

The Reality of Modern Racing

The motorsport world that Genesis Magma Racing has entered is vastly different from the era of straw bales and gentleman drivers that Ickx dominated. Back in 1973, Ickx qualified at Spa on the old 13.9-kilometer road course with an average speed of 263.5 kilometers per hour. Today, the tracks are shorter, the safety is infinitely superior, and the nature of the races has fundamentally shifted.

“Today, there is one thing you must learn about long distance. It’s not an endurance race anymore. It’s a sprint,” Ickx explained. “You look at the first 10 cars. There are only few tenths of a second between every car,” Ickx continued. “And when you win in long distance with 25 or 30 seconds [gap], they say, ‘Oh, they had an easy race.’ So, [that] explains why every single detail of the car [matters] and the performance comes down to milliseconds.”

Abiteboul echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that the margins for error have vanished.

“In such a long race, you can make no mistakes,” he said, explaining the strategic nuances between different tracks. “For us, the focus of these first two races, in particular, was always going to be focused on reliability and execution. Right now, we are very low risk in terms of approach for the drivers, the setups, and the strategy.”

More than Just a Finish Line

The culmination of this relentless push arrived in April 2026 at the 6 Hours of Imola, 499 days after the announcement of the formation of the Genesis Magma Racing team. Genesis Magma Racing officially debuted in the FIA WEC, proving the engineering resilience of the brand by getting both cars across the finish line. The momentum grew stronger the very next month in Belgium — on Donckerwolke and Ickx’s home turf.

“The 500 days were just enough for us to be ready, because it takes time to develop all the systems,” Abiteboul admitted. “And that’s what we need to get under control so that we can [ultimately achieve] wins.”

“The most important part of the success remains the humans who are composing the team,” Ickx concluded. “The rest is, how do you say, b-------.”

LE CASTELLET, France, June 4, 2026 — Genesis Magma Racing expect a tough challenge as it makes its 24 Hours of Le Mans debut. Despite promising results in the first two rounds of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), including a first points finish at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, the team has reset expectations for its first start in the centerpiece of the season.

Team Prepared for Milestone Event

The team, which is entering a pair of GMR-001 Hypercars in the race, will become the first South Korean manufacturer ever to compete in the famous endurance race. To mark the occasion, the team’s two cars will run in a special livery returning to the Magma Orange to red gradient design first shown at Le Mans last year on the GMR-001 Hypercar show car in the manufacturer village.

Recognizing that the 24 Hours of Le Mans is a rigorous test of any team and car, and even more so for a squad in its position — going into just its third-ever competition — Genesis Magma Racing has set humble ambitions for the race. The team’s immediate aim is for both its cars to be recorded as classified finishers, requiring the cars to complete 70% of the total distance completed, as well as be running at the end of the race. This goal requires not only reliability from the cars, but also a mistake-free performance from the pit crew, making the race an all-round test for the team.

For the race weekend, Genesis Magma Racing will also host guests from the growing number of Genesis markets around the world, along with the senior leadership across its global organization. In addition to the Genesis booth in the Manufacturers’ Village, Genesis will also have a strong presence in the paddock this year, bringing to the circuit a taste of its hospitality philosophy of treating every customer as its “Son-nim,” or honored guest, at its global network of studios and showrooms.

To complete its preparations, Genesis Magma Racing completed an endurance test at Le Castellet. The test gave each of the team’s drivers, including Official Reserve driver Jamie Chadwick, time at the wheel of the GMR-001 Hypercar. A night stint gave Paul-Loup Chatin his first laps in the car in darkness, gaining his first experience of the strong pool of light created by the car’s Two-Line headlamps — a signature element of all Genesis designs.

As well as the experience of the 24-hour test, the team continues to learn with each session it completes. Through this process the team has been able to implement many small advances — both technical and operational — based on issues encountered in the first two rounds that will benefit the team at Le Mans. 

Genesis Magma Racing Team Management Quotes

Cyril Abiteboul, Genesis Magma Racing Team Principal, said: “Our debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans is a huge moment for Genesis Magma Racing. From the moment we made the announcement of the program, there have been a lot of eyes on this date. Becoming the first South Korean manufacturer to compete at Le Mans is a huge honor, and we will have many guests from Genesis around the world that we can show our work to and bring into the world of motorsport and the unique atmosphere of the 24 Hours of Le Mans specifically. However, we know that the race is going to be a massive challenge for us — for the reliability of the car, for our operations as a team — so we have to be realistic with what we expect, even after a good start to the WEC season. If we can bring both GMR-001 Hypercars to the finish, that will be the biggest positive we can take for the rest of the year.”

Gabriele Tarquini, Genesis Magma Racing Sporting Director, said: “The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the race for a driver and an iconic race in motorsport. It is a unique challenge. For Genesis Magma Racing, it is our first Le Mans, and being part of it represents another important step in our story. From a sporting perspective, our target is to have a clean race and maximize every opportunity and keep improving throughout the event. The race is not only about speed, but also about managing energy — the car’s and your own — concentration and avoiding mistakes over the 24 Hours. The most important thing for a driver is to be able to arrive at the start of the race fully prepared and 100% physically and mentally. Le Mans is very demanding from the first day at the track until the checkered flag. Every detail matters to make the weekend as smooth as possible. Clear communication between driver and engineer, traffic management and consistency over the length of a stint are all crucial.”

Justin Taylor, Genesis Magma Racing Chief Engineer, said: “There is no race on the calendar that stresses a program quite like Le Mans. The combination of high speeds, long hours and inclement weather creates a unique set of technical challenges that you simply cannot fully replicate in testing or other WEC events. Reliability is the fundamental requirement for a race of such nature and it is our focus for now. The first two rounds of the season gave us a clearer picture of where our car and our processes needed to mature. We identified specific areas of sensor failure recognition as well as driver interface usability that were holding us back and we've worked hard to implement solutions ahead of Le Mans. We have set up a test plan for the prologue to validate our efforts and allow for adaptation before the race week begins. In the race, our objective is straightforward: finish with the checkered flag waving.”

Driver Quotes - #17 GMR-001 Hypercar

Pipo Derani said: “I’m very much looking forward to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It’s such a special race. Of course, there’s the World Endurance Championship, but Le Mans is such a special race, if not the most iconic race in the world. We were not expecting the result we had at Spa. We worked hard for it, but as a team we want to keep our feet on the ground and make sure we tackle Le Mans with humility. It's not going to be an easy task. It’s by far the biggest challenge we’ve had so far. But as we’ve already proved, we are ready for any task. Regardless of how difficult it is, we throw ourselves in. We want to gather as much experience as possible, hopefully get the GMR-001 Hypercar to the end, so that we can use all that knowledge to become a better package for the second half of the season and into next year, and any result we achieve this year is a bonus.”

Mathys Jaubert said: “My Hypercar debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans is obviously something very special for me. It’s a race every driver dreams about, so to be part of it with the #17 team is a proud moment. I’m really looking forward to the atmosphere, the fans and experiencing the race from inside a Hypercar for the first time. The goal is to have a clean race, maximize every opportunity and bring home a strong result for Genesis Magma Racing. After the strong result at Spa, the team has good momentum, but Le Mans is a different race and we need to stay focused and execute everything perfectly over 24 hours. My LMP2 experience from last year will definitely help because I already know how intense the event is, especially with traffic, night driving and the rhythm of the week. But racing the GMR-001 Hypercar at Le Mans will still be a completely new challenge.”

André Lotterer said: “The 24 Hours of Le Mans means a lot, not only to me, but all the drivers competing there. It has so much history. It has created heroes of brands and drivers. It’s a race where everyone wants to shine. It’s even sweeter if you win, which I’ve been lucky to taste three times, so Le Mans has been good to me. I always love going there. It’s a pleasure to drive on that track, and I’m very excited to go there with our new team and drive the GMR-001 Hypercar there for the first time. The special livery is a real success. The design team did really well. The gradient came out nicely and it will be a nice pop of color on track. For the race we’re focusing on ourselves, trying to do the best with what we have learned so far. It’s always also a big task to be able to reduce the amount of problems and avoid penalties for 24 hours, but who knows? There’s always a lot that can happen at Le Mans.”

Driver Quotes - #19 GMR-001 Hypercar

Paul-Loup Chatin said: “Le Mans is special. It’s the most important and most beautiful race of the year. I come from Chartres, which is only an hour from Le Mans, so it’s completely my home race. A lot of the efforts we make the entire year are for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, so I cannot wait to be there. My first laps in the GMR-001 Hypercar were really good, a super first impression. The team have done a really good job with the lights — the visibility is impressive. We know that Le Mans by night is magic, but if you are capable to see a tiny bit more than the others you have a bit more confidence. The whole car looks great. I think everybody expected an orange livery for us to start the year, but it was nice to start the year with the liquid metal and black, and now we have arrived at the big one to have the full Genesis Magma color on our car.”

Mathieu Jaminet said: “I’m really looking forward to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It’s the highlight of the year for every single team and driver. I always feel that it is a very special event, especially being French and having a lot of fans there, so you get to feel a bit like a rockstar for a few days. It’s only our third race as Genesis Magma Racing, and our first race that’s more than six hours. Looking at the first two races, we know that the GMR-001 Hypercar has great potential, but we’ve still had small issues here and there that the team has been pushing flat out to solve and be as prepared as possible. As a team we’ve been working well since the start of the season, so we want to keep it that way and have a clean race. Seeing the checkered flag without any issues would be a bit of a win, and if we manage that we should also have a bit of pace to challenge some other cars, so let’s see where we end up.”

Dani Juncadella said: “I’m excited for our debut at Le Mans — it’s the biggest race of the year and to be taking part with a Hypercar is something to be proud of. Le Mans is obviously a highlight of the year. It’s a race that I’m super experienced with — I’ve only done it two times before in LMGT3, so it’s a new challenge for me in the Hypercar class. It’s going to be a long week of preparation with the Prologue, which will help us get some laps already and I can see how it compares to the GT car. Physically, Le Mans is not the hardest race because you have a lot of long straights where you can rest, but it’s nevertheless a 24-hour race so it’s always a big test for everybody. We did an endurance test at Le Castellet, so we think we’ve made some steps forwards to move on from the small setbacks we’ve had at Imola and Spa, so the car should be in a good place.”

LE CASTELLET, France, June 3, 2026 — Genesis Magma Racing has partnered with Le Mans-based furniture designer and design studio Racing & Emotion, naming them a new Official Licensing Partner. The collaboration between Racing & Emotion and Genesis Magma Racing marks the creation of the team’s first collectible design and lifestyle partnership, with bespoke products from the company incorporated into the team’s hospitality spaces for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. 

Inspired by the Legend of Le Mans 

Racing & Emotion was founded as a tribute to motorsport, based in the city where the 24 Hours of Le Mans has been responsible for creating legends of manufacturers and drivers for more than a century. Racing & Emotion creates motorsport-inspired collectible design pieces and furniture celebrating racing culture, craftsmanship and the heritage of Le Mans. 

Now the Magma livery that will appear on both Genesis GMR-001 Hypercars for their debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans will join some of the most famous liveries in racing as part of the Racing & Emotion collection. The identity and philosophy of Genesis Magma Racing will be translated into several designs from the Racing & Emotion range, including the signature Art Ball Chairs and other limited-edition objects inspired by the GMR-001 Hypercar. 

“Through this multi-year collaboration, our two brands unite around a shared commitment to luxury, craftsmanship and savoir-faire, each within their own field of expertise,” said Benoit Fraylon, Racing & Emotion Founder. “With Genesis Magma Racing, we found a common vision where passion, performance and design naturally converge. Together, our ambition is to transform that racing emotion into collectible design pieces and works of art, extending the experience beyond the track and bringing the spirit of Genesis Magma Racing into living spaces.” 

Four signature Art Ball Chairs — two each carrying the #17 and #19 numbers of the GMR-001 Hypercar in the race — will be part of Genesis’ hospitality setup during the 24 Hours of Le Mans, showcasing the product to the manufacturer’s invited guests and the potential of the new partnership. 

Racing and Design Combine for Genesis Magma Racing 

For Genesis Magma Racing, collaborating with an exciting motorsport-inspired, design-led brand reflects the team’s own values and philosophy and that of the Genesis brand it represents in the FIA WEC competition. 

In contrast with Racing & Emotion’s philosophy of motorsport inspiring design, the GMR-001 Hypercar is inspired by Genesis’ own “Athletic Elegance” design philosophy. In the creation of the team, the manufacturer has been able to take this to the natural extremes allowed within a specially designed race car. The GMR-001 Hypercar features the same simple parabolic lines seen in all Genesis models, as well as the iconic Two-Line headlamps that will be crucial during the hours of darkness on track during the 24 Hours of Le Mans. 

Though only in their first season of racing in the FIA WEC, Genesis Magma Racing have already captured the attention of many fans after its competitive debut at the 6 Hours of Imola and first points-scoring finish at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps last month. However, a first visit to the 24 Hours of Le Mans is a further significant challenge for the team, especially coming so early in the history of the team. 

“Le Mans, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, is a central point of the FIA WEC season,” said Genesis Chief Creative Officer Luc Donckerwolke. “Success at Le Mans can create legends of manufacturers, and that is what Racing & Emotion’s designs celebrate with some of the color schemes that have become timeless symbols and transcended motorsport to become icons of their own.” 

He continued, “This is obviously something we aim for with Genesis, Genesis Magma Racing and the Magma livery the GMR-001 Hypercar will carry at Le Mans. We know we have a lot of work to do before we can earn a place to join the rich heritage legacy of endurance racing celebrated through Racing & Emotion’s creations, but to be included alongside them is certainly a small first step.” 

LE CASTELLET, France, June 1, 2026 — Genesis Magma Racing has revealed the special livery that will be carried by the team’s pair of GMR-001 Hypercars for the team’s debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The design returns the team’s livery to the Magma-inspired livery shown at the Genesis area of the Manufacturer Village at the 2025 event.

Inspired by Korean Energy and Culture

The livery’s colors take inspiration from the lava at the heart of the Magma name, created in reference to the volcanic origins of the Korean peninsula and the energy that lies below the surface of South Korea. The presence of power below the surface is also present in Korean culture, embodied by the humble confidence shown by the country’s people in the public eye.

Like them, Genesis Magma Racing has high targets and confidence that it can achieve them, but also embodies a humble approach, especially in its debut year in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). Despite surprising many by scoring points in just its second race in the championship at last month’s 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, Genesis Magma Racing remains focused on the reliability of the GMR-001 Hypercar and the challenge of reaching the finish in its first 24-hour race.

“For the entire Genesis brand, including of course Genesis Magma Racing, design is one of the foundational pillars,” said Genesis Chief Creative Officer Luc Donckerwolke. “Fans and supporters have been vocal in their love of the Magma Orange concept livery that was unveiled last year, and, as always, Genesis takes our supporters’ feedback into consideration by bringing it to reality with a bold evolution. More than a race livery, it’s an artful statement — where color and form convey the unique performance identity of Genesis.”

The gradual color shift over the length of the GMR-001 Hypercar flows from the signature Magma Orange at the front — a hue symbolizing Korea’s vibrant energy — to deep red at the rear, evoking a sense of speed and rising intensity, mirroring both the temperature of a high-performance engine and the acoustic shift of the Doppler effect as a car passes at full speed. The livery retains the hangeul lettering for “Magma” (마그마) over the length of the car, now in a contrasting gradient, running from red at the front of the car to Magma Orange at the rear.

The team’s two cars – #17 and #19 – will both carry the design for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The two liveries differ in the #19 sporting white Genesis and Genesis Magma Racing logos and additional highlights compared to the orange and black of the #17 entry.

Working With Technical Partner to Perfect Design

“The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the biggest weekend of our year,” said Genesis Magma Racing Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul. “It is the toughest test we face during the FIA WEC season, especially as a team in our first season, but it is also our biggest opportunity to show the identity of Genesis and Genesis Magma Racing to the world through racing.”

He added: “Since we launched the team in December 2024, Magma has been a key part of our name and our identity, so to be able to bring Genesis Magma fully to life on track is very important. The cars look fantastic, and as a team we will be working to make sure our performance matches the level of attention that has gone into creating the designs.”

Donckerwolke explained: “As we do for every production car, we will keep innovating and testing new solutions to always be recognized and unique. Genesis global design has worked hand in hand with the racing team to create a striking yet lightweight livery for the biggest race of the 2026 WEC season, the 24 Hours of Le Mans.”

To bring the design to life, Genesis Magma Racing has worked closely with Technical Partner HEXIS to perfect the gradient design to look its best both standing on the grid and racing at full speed. Drawing on the expertise of HEXIS and its latest generation of wrapping films, these ultra-conformable adhesives have been specially developed to enhance the colors from every angle. The specially engineered films are capable of enduring the harsh conditions of endurance racing, from high-velocity airflow and heat to track debris. To guarantee this, HEXIS’s BODYFENCE steps in as an invisible armor; this advanced paint protection film keeps the livery spotless and fiercely glossy, ensuring that gravel and track grit won't dull the design, all without adding unnecessary weight, while meeting the strict design brief for the livery. From the afternoon sun to the dead of night on the Mulsanne Straight, the GMR-001 Hypercar will catch the light in a unique way, ensuring a spectacular visual impact without compromising the car’s performance.

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.”

LE MANS, France, June 13, 2025 — Genesis has announced a significant expansion of its global footprint with plans to launch in four new European markets: France, Italy, Spain and The Netherlands. This marks the next phase of the brand’s strategic growth in Europe and reinforces its long-term commitment to international markets.

Revealed during the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the announcement coincides with Genesis Magma Racing’s presence at the iconic race for the first time.

Building on its debut in Europe in 2021 and its current operations in Germany, Switzerland and the UK, Genesis continues to lead with an all-electric premium lineup defined by bold design, cutting-edge technology and a customer experience inspired by the Korean philosophy of “Son-nim,” which means “honored guest.”

“Our entry into these important markets is a pivotal moment for Genesis. We are moving now to deepen our long-term presence and commitment across Europe. This is the most significant market expansion since we launched in Europe in 2021 and is the start of our next phase of measured, strategic growth and sporting brand direction,” said Xavier Martinet, Managing Director at Genesis Motor Europe.

“Our distinctive electric models have strong European appeal and the demand is growing. With these new markets, and our audacious approach to motorsport, we look forward to introducing new customers to our design-driven performance brand.”

Genesis will share more details on retail models and local operations in due course.

Genesis will introduce the award-winning all-electric three-model lineup to new customers across the four countries, with deliveries starting in early 2026;

• GV60 – The multi-award-winning luxury compact SUV and the brand’s first dedicated all-electric model
   
• Electrified GV70 – The flagship SUV, blending dynamic performance with effortless convenience and luxury
   
• Electrified G80 – The luxury saloon with class-leading refinement and extended wheelbase, as the most comprehensively equipped Genesis model in Europe

All three models have recently received comprehensive enhancements, featuring advanced new technologies, elevated design and upgraded battery specification delivering extended range and performance.

A Milestone Moment at Le Mans

Genesis’ announcement comes as the brand steps onto motorsport’s global stage with Genesis Magma Racing. The team is competing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the first time in the Le Mans Prototype 2 category in partnership with IDEC Sport, laying the groundwork for an official manufacturer entry in 2026.

After securing multiple wins and podiums in the European Le Mans Series (ELMS), Genesis Magma Racing’s participation at Le Mans is a bold demonstration of its high-performance ambitions and growing international credentials.

The Genesis GMR-001 Hypercar will lead the charge for Genesis’ entry into the FIA World Endurance Championship, signaling a new chapter for the brand’s engineering excellence and competitive spirit on the global stage.

LE MANS, France, June 13, 2025 — Genesis today held a press conference during the 24 Hours of Le Mans, outlining the brand’s bold vision for Genesis Magma Racing. Major highlights included the announcement of key team management roles, an update on vehicle development progress and new market entries for the Genesis brand.

The event was held at the Genesis Magma Racing booth in the Manufacturer Village at the Circuit de la Sarthe.

Genesis Magma Racing is also participating in the race itself, represented in the Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) category with the #18 car driven by Jamie Chadwick and Mathys Jaubert, joined by three-time Le Mans winner André Lotterer.

Accelerating Development and Market Expansion

Addressing the press conference, Genesis Magma Racing Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul provided an update on the latest progress of the development of the Genesis GMR-001 Hypercar. He shared news of a successful endurance dyno test for the combined engine and gearbox.

This test validated the team’s decision to adopt a V-8 powertrain, a choice made to streamline development by leveraging Hyundai Motorsport’s existing World Rally Championship engine technology. The team based the V-8 on the Group’s competitive 1.6-liter turbocharged inline-four cylinder engine, effectively combining two units to create a high-performance V-8 configuration.

Abiteboul also gave details on the expansion of Hyundai Motorsport as part of the creation of Genesis Magma Racing. The new team will operate from a race base at Le Castellet, close to ORECA’s factory, where parts continue to arrive in France for the building of the first two cars that will be used in development testing.

“The expansion of Hyundai Motorsport is essential to create a strong foundation for Genesis Magma Racing, and the establishment of a new subsidiary in France is an essential step,” said Abiteboul. “The team is being created from very strong parts. A strong chassis from ORECA, an ideal race base location in Le Castellet, an international, experienced team of people from around motorsport and, of course, the best of the influences from Korean culture to drive us all forward at Hyperspeed.”

Genesis Chief Creative Officer Luc Donckerwolke and Managing Director of Genesis Motor Europe Xavier Martinet also joined the press conference, revealing that the Genesis brand will officially enter four new European markets — France, Spain, the Netherlands and Italy — with first customer vehicles launching in 2027.

"With Genesis Magma Racing, we are turning our design philosophy into pure performance. Every line, every surface, every decision on the GMR-001 reflects the same discipline and emotion we bring to our cars,” said Donckerwolke. “As we enter more markets in Europe, Genesis Magma Racing becomes more than a motorsport initiative — it’s a powerful expression of who we are, engaging with a region that has long defined automotive excellence.”

New Team Members Bring Vital Experience to Team

In addition, three new team members were revealed during the press conference. Anouck Abadie will take the role of Team Manager, Justin Taylor becomes the Chief Engineer and multiple Touring Car champion Gabriele Tarquini will take up the role of Sporting Director.

The three bring experience in their roles from different realms of motorsport and will integrate into the existing team structure lead by Abiteboul and Technical Director François-Xavier Demaison.

Abadie has experience of working within the FIA and with leading endurance teams in both Team Manager and Sporting Director roles, most recently with GT squad Kessel Racing. “This new project with Genesis Magma Racing gives us the opportunity to start from a white board, and we can build a strong team of motivated people who share our vision. It will be challenging for sure, that’s why it’s even more exciting. I can’t wait to see our car in action on track,” said Abadie.

Taylor, from the United States, will arrive at Genesis Magma Racing having recently acted as Race Engineer in two of the leading teams in the Hypercar and Le Mans Daytona h (LMDh) categories. “Joining Genesis Magma Racing is very exciting for me,” said Taylor. “Coming onboard in the Chief Engineer role allows me a chance to develop our team and the GMR-001 Hypercar from the ground up, to be ready for the 2026 WEC season and beyond.”

He brings crucial experience of not just WEC, but also IMSA competition — critical as Genesis Magma Racing sets its sights on entering the North American-based championship in 2027.

Sporting Director joins from Hyundai Motorsport’s Customer Touring Car squad

Tarquini is one of the most successful Touring Car drivers of all time. The Italian has won the British, European and World Touring Car titles, as well as the inaugural WTCR — FIA World Touring Car Cup title in 2018 with Hyundai Motorsport.

The three will fit into the team structure alongside the existing members of the team, including those coming from Hyundai Motorsport as part of Genesis Magma Racing’s Trajectory Program. Abadie and Taylor will take up their roles immediately to be in place for the first on track tests planned later this year.

“Anouck, Justin and Gabriele are fantastic additions to the Genesis Magma Racing team,” said Abiteboul. “They all have great experience in motorsport, which will be complemented by additional endurance racing expertise of the other team members we will recruit in the coming months. This mix, and the management structure we announce today, will be at the center of the team through our testing this year with the GMR-001 Hypercar and our race team in the FIA World Endurance Championship next year.”

Trajectory Drivers and First Le Mans Experience

On track in 2025, Genesis Magma Racing’s LMP2 entry — run by IDEC Sport — features the #18 Oreca 07 car, with Jamie Chadwick and Mathys Jaubert joined by endurance legend André Lotterer. Chadwick and Jaubert, both in their first full season of prototypes, are part of the Genesis Magma Racing Trajectory Program. They have already claimed LMP2 class victory in the ELMS season opener in Barcelona and an overall win in Le Castellet.

The 24 Hours of Le Mans provides both drivers and Hyundai Motorsport personnel from the Trajectory Program a valuable opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the unique environment of Le Mans, further preparing the team for 2026.

On-site With Genesis at Le Mans

Genesis is hosting fans and media at the Manufacturer Village with a bold showcase:

• The full-scale GMR-001 Hypercar model — revealed in Europe for the first time — features an eye-catching livery inspired by Korean culture, with the word “Magma” written in the Korean alphabet of Hangeul (마그마).
   

• The Brand Wall details Genesis’ 10-year journey, connecting its luxury design legacy with the innovation behind Genesis Magma Racing.
   

• A selection of limited-edition Genesis and Le Mans merchandise is available for purchase and prizes, created exclusively for this event.

The Genesis Magma Racing Trajectory Program supports drivers’ development, working toward promoting them into the Genesis Magma Racing Hypercar lineup for the 2026 FIA WEC.

Fresh off the heels of an exhilarating start to the season where she scored an Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) class victory with her teammates at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in April and also won the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) at the Circuit Paul Ricard in May, Jamie Chadwick is poised to leave an indelible mark on the track and beyond while inspiring a new generation of race drivers across the globe.

Chadwick recently took some time out of her busy schedule to speak to the Genesis Newsroom about her journey with Genesis Magma Racing, highlighting the innovative spirit, advanced technology and collaborative team dynamics that have further fueled her passion and ambition for motorsports.

What were your initial impressions of the Genesis Magma Racing team, and what aspects of the team and technology drew you to join the Trajectory Program?

My initial impressions were that it’s an incredible Program, and obviously one that I would love to be a part of. Obviously, hypercar now is becoming one of the most competitive forms of motor sport out there. So, for the Genesis brand to be aligning with it, and coming into it, and starting for us with the Trajectory Program has been incredibly exciting. The team members that they’ve brought in, particularly coming from the World Rally Championship, bring a huge amount of experience, and that’s really exciting. And then, from a technology point of view, I think what we’re seeing with the hypercar technology, the hybrid engines, and then obviously being tested at some of the hardest races in the world, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, is incredibly exciting.

You’ve had a front-row seat since the beginning. What excites you most about being a part of this journey?

I think for me the most exciting part is the potential Trajectory, to use the term of the Program that I’m a part of, yeah, obviously, the hypercar is very much the end goal of my career. It’s the highest category of endurance racing, and a level I’d love to reach that is hugely competitive at the moment as well. So, I think what excites me is seeing that pathway and then being part of a team that I think can have a huge amount of success within the FIA World Endurance Championship [WEC]. It’s great to be a part of, and it’s cool to see it from the very beginning, its inception.

You were in Dubai for the launch of Genesis Magma Racing in December last year. What was that moment like for you, standing beside the car that’s redefining both your career and the brand?

It’s incredibly exciting. I think for me, seeing any road car manufacturer come into our sport and into endurance racing, is always very cool to see. But also, when you look at the people that are surrounding the GMR-001 Hypercar project — the likes of Andre Lotterer, Cyril, Pipo, Jacky Ickx — being a part of the brand is incredibly exciting.  I think it shows that they are going to be a force when they come into the WEC.

How do you and the team leverage telemetry and other data and analytics to redefine or to refine both your driving techniques and race strategies during a competitive race weekend?

Using data and the technology we have available to us is hugely important. It’s instant. We can use it immediately to change things, to improve, to see what’s better, what’s worse. It’s a big part of our sport, and it’s part of the reason I love the sport so much — getting that immediate feedback, especially when you’re working with so many experienced people within our team. It really helps us, I think, particularly on the strategy side. Being able to make quick decisions with the information that you and the engineers have available has definitely helped us with the results that we’ve had. And then, from a driving point of view, you can see exactly where you need to improve. With the experienced teammates that I have as well, that really helps us make quick improvements.

This year for learning has already brought strong results for the team. How would you describe the collective effort behind those performances, and what has been the key to that success?

This year so far, we’ve had a lot more success than I think we were anticipating early on. We came into the season just wanting to learn as much as possible. We loosely gave ourselves a top five target, but winning the LMP2 in the opening two races of the European Le Mans Series championship has definitely exceeded our expectations. I really think the reason for it has been the big team element. I think we’ve worked really well, particularly from a strategy point of view. We haven’t made big mistakes, and we’ve managed to kind of pick up and make the most of others, in that sense, in two tricky races that haven’t been easy to manage. So, yeah, I think teamwork has been a huge part of it. We’ve had a really reliable and good car for the last few races as well. So, fingers crossed, we can keep that momentum going forwards.

What are you most eager to achieve in the long run?

I think in the long run my ultimate goal is to go to hypercar and compete at the highest level of endurance racing. In the short term, I obviously want to try and win more races in the ELMS championship, and with Le Mans coming up soon as well, of course, the goal is to go there and get the best result possible in our first 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Transitioning from other racing series to the Genesis Magma Racing Program presents unique challenges. Can you discuss how you’ve adapted, and what lessons you’ve learned so far?

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is, I think, trying to adapt as much as possible. The car, every time you get in, is slightly different. You’ve got to constantly adapt to what you have, the different conditions, the different circumstances that you have in a race. So, the biggest lesson has to be adapting. And then, obviously, in an endurance race, it’s a long race, so it’s not all made or won in your stint. Often just trying to do the best job you can in that moment, make the most of the strategy you’ve got, and then giving the car to make the finishes is the biggest thing. And the main way that I feel like I’ve been able to adapt is by having a really good team with a lot of experience, which has helped me learn quickly. The IDEC Sport team has a huge amount of experience in this category, and I think being able to lean on them and have their support has helped a lot too.

What is the hardest lesson you’ve learned in motorsport?

I think that it doesn't matter what level you get to, you still have to work hard, and you’re always still learning. I think, in motorsport, it is never going to be plain sailing. The good days are always the good days, but to have those moments come together isn’t always easy. There are so many variables in our sport that it takes a lot for everything to come together. So yeah, you have a lot more bad days than good days, but stay motivated and hungry for it, even in those days, and work hard for when it goes right again.

After your recent impressive victories at Barcelona-Catalunya and Paul Ricard, how has that success influenced your confidence and mindset for the rest of the season?

I think it’s changed the goalposts that we’ve set for ourselves. I think coming into the season we definitely wanted to learn as much as possible, but we gave ourselves no target on results, and now I think the recent wins have given us a little bit more of a higher focus for the rest of the season, particularly with regards to the championship. And I think confidence-wise, we know we’ve got two races under our belt. We know what we’ve been capable of achieving as a team and as a group. So, carrying that now into the rest of the year, knowing what we’re capable of, I think, is a really positive thing and has definitely given us a slightly higher target for the rest of the season.

How do you usually prepare for the race, both on and off track? Do you have any personal routines or rituals that help you stay grounded?

I try not to set too many rituals or routines, but a lot of the preparation for me away from the track is physical preparation. Yeah, obviously, being new to endurance racing, long stints in the car, the physicality is something that I work hard on. And then preparation with the team at IDEC Sport, simulator preparation, trying to understand the race weekend as best as possible before going into it, particularly for something like Le Mans, is going to be a big part of it.

You’ve stepped into Formula One commentary. Has that experience changed your view of racing or influenced your approach as a driver?

I feel like I now have a different view on things, having seen it from the other side of the microphone or the camera. I also think F1 is at such a high level now, we can all learn so much from there. Being able to see it up close and analyze a lot of different situations, whether that be from a technical or driving point of view, I feel like I’m learning every day being able to do that. So, it’s given me a new perspective. It’s something I enjoy. I love being part of the Formula One Grand Prix. So yeah, it’s definitely helped influence my approach as a driver.

As a successful woman in a traditionally male-dominated sport, what unique strengths do you bring to the track, and what message would you share to aspiring female drivers?

I would say, I don't think too much about being a woman at the track when I’m competing in my own right. I just want to do the best job possible. But at the same time, I think I’m proud to try and do as much as I can for the next generation of female drivers. I think the sport is drastically changing, and particularly in endurance racing, we’re seeing a huge shift of female talent. There are so many great opportunities for women now in our sport. I think we’ve now seen five women on the top step in the ELMS alone, which is incredible to see. So, I think my message to young, aspiring female drivers would be to not let anything put you off — keep pushing.

Can you share your favorite memory with Genesis Magma Racing so far?

I’d say my favorite memory would definitely be that first win at Barcelona, mainly because we weren’t expecting it. But it was such a special weekend for all of us on the team — the first race, officially, for Genesis Magma Racing, and first win. And to have a lot of the team members that have been a part of it since the beginning all there sharing that moment was very special.

FRANKFURT, Germany, May 28, 2025 — Genesis Magma Racing will be represented both on track and in the paddock at the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans in a major event of the team’s Trajectory year in preparation for entering the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) with the Genesis GMR-001 Hypercar.

The full-scale model of the car will be on display for the first time in Europe, forming a focal point on the Genesis Magma Racing booth in the Manufacturer Village inside the Circuit de la Sarthe. First revealed at the New York International Auto Show in April, the model will give fans and media an opportunity to examine the design that will take Genesis into motorsport for the first time.

A Key Week in a Year of Preparation

The 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans is a major point in the team’s Trajectory Program, with team members and potential drivers preparing for Genesis Magma Racing’s entry into the WEC.

Among those attending the race and working within the IDEC Sport team will be a number of Hyundai Motorsport personnel, covering almost all aspects of race operation and support staff within the team.

Genesis Magma Racing Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul explained, “It is a chance for our team members in our Trajectory Program to feel the atmosphere and excitement unique to Le Mans to be ready to perform in 2026. They will be able to see first-hand the extremely busy and competitive environment Genesis Magma Racing is stepping into and understand more of what is needed for a strong execution next year.”

The week at Le Mans will also host an announcement by the team at the Genesis Magma Racing booth, updating media and fans on the development of the GMR-001 Hypercar and the latest news about building the team.

Opportunity to Share Genesis Magma Racing’s Rapid Progress

“We are developing the GMR-001 Hypercar and building the team for next year,” said Abiteboul. “At Le Mans we can share our story and that of the Genesis brand, as well as our rapid progress as a team with the information and full-scale model to the passionate fans who attend the race.”

Sporting an eye-catching livery, inspired by Korea and featuring the hangeul characters of Magma (마그마), the GMR-001 Hypercar model will be the center of attention at the booth throughout its time at Le Mans.

A Brand Wall will tell the 10-year story of Genesis through video and text, from its origins and aims, up to the present with Genesis Magma and the race team, allowing the hundreds of thousands of passionate endurance racing fans who attend the 24 Hours of Le Mans to learn more ahead of the brand’s racing debut in 2026.

Fans will also be able to purchase — or even win — exclusive Genesis and 24 Hours of Le Mans merchandise. Each item is especially created for the event, underlining Genesis’ design-led philosophy, while giving fans a way of showing their support for Genesis Magma Racing.

First Le Mans Experience a Key Part of Trajectory for drivers

On track in 2025, Genesis Magma Racing’s interest is in the LMP2 class where Trajectory drivers Jamie Chadwick and Mathys Jaubert are joined by André Lotterer in the #18 IDEC Sport-run Oreca 07. Chadwick and Jaubert, together with Daniel Juncadella, have made an excellent start to their first full season in prototypes, winning the LMP2 class at first two rounds of the European Le Mans Series (ELMS).

However, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which does not count towards the ELMS standings, is a brand new challenge for Chadwick and Jaubert on a weekend where they can focus on their own development. Just as for the team members with them in the Trajectory Program, Le Mans is a key part of the year the two drivers. “In their first starts in the race,” said Abiteboul, “the objective is for Jamie Chadwick and Mathys Jaubert to gain valuable experience without the pressure of fighting for championship points.”

As they aim to take advantage of the opportunity to race at Le Mans, Chadwick and Jaubert will be supported by Lotterer, a three-time overall Le Mans winner and part of Genesis Magma Racing’s driving line-up for the 2026 WEC season. The race will be the longest either Trajectory driver has contested in a prototype, with the obvious additional test of driving in the hours of darkness, as well as the changing conditions throughout the race.

“The 24 Hours of Le Mans is a key point in the year for Genesis Magma Racing,” Abiteboul summarized. “It is the biggest endurance racing event of the season and a major part of the FIA World Endurance Championship, where we will be racing with the GMR-001 Hypercar in 2026. The 2025 event starts our countdown — 365 days until the next 24 hours.

FRANKFURT, Germany, Feb. 7, 2024 — Genesis announces an exciting collaboration with racing legend Jacky Ickx, who will join Genesis as an official Brand Partner. 

Ickx will take on a three-fold role as a Genesis Brand Partner to provide strategic insights, championing the brand’s ethos as an ambassador and acting as a distinguished diplomat within the luxury landscape. 

Through this partnership, Ickx and Genesis will collaborate on various initiatives aimed at promoting innovation and luxury within the industry. Fondly referred to as the “Gentleman Disruptor” within Genesis, Ickx represents a legacy of excellence and innovation that the brand is building upon. 

In his advisory role, Ickx will collaborate closely with Luc Donckerwolke, Group Chief Design Officer (CDO) and Chief Creative Officer (CCO), and the Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Center. A signing ceremony on Feb. 2 at Genesis Studio Geneva marked the beginning of the brand partnership. 

Donckerwolke commented: “We are delighted with this unique partnership with Jacky Ickx. With his phenomenal achievements, invaluable knowledge and desire to influence the revolution of the automotive landscape, Jacky aligns perfectly with our brand values. As a prominent figure who has been consistently ingrained throughout the evolving landscape over the years, it is an honor to have Jacky on board to help shape the future of the Genesis.” 

Ickx commented on the partnership: “I want to live in the future, move on from the past, reinvent, move forward. I have always admired Genesis for its cultured elegance and design aesthetics and sincerely believe in a relationship that is founded on authenticity and admiration to each other.” 

Ickx began his journey into the world of motorsport with road racing and motorcycle trials, earning top spot in the 50cc class Mettet Grand Prix Road race in 1962. Accelerating quickly through the ranks, he made his Formula One debut at Monza in 1967, going on to win eight races and 25 podium finishes within his Formula One career. Simultaneously, he entered the world of endurance racing, teaming up with Hubert Hahne in 1966 to win the Spa 24 Hours endurance race in Belgium. From there, Ickx set a new world record, winning six times at the 24h race at Le Mans and subsequently becoming known as "Monsieur Le Mans".