BARCELONA, Spain, Oct. 18, 2026 — Genesis Magma Racing just missed out on points-scoring in the penultimate round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), finishing 11th with the #19 crew of Dani Juncadella, Paul-Loup Chatin and Mathieu Jaminet after a challenging 6 Hours of Barcelona. The weekend did however showcase the impressive pace of the GMR-001 Hypercar as demonstrated in qualifying with Mathys Jaubert storming to a historic first-ever pole position for the brand.

Historic Maiden Pole Goes Unrewarded in the Race

Aiming to continue the momentum gained from the previous round, the strong pace of the pair of GMR-001 Hypercars was confirmed from the start of the weekend with the #17 setting the second-fastest time in FP2 and the #19 doing likewise in FP3. Both cars comfortably progressed into Hyperpole, with Genesis Magma Racing Trajectory Program graduate Jaubert then setting two laps good enough for pole, with the #19 of Jaminet taking third.

Overnight rain meant all cars started the race on the wet tire, with André Lotterer briefly leading in the #17 before being passed by the fast-starting #19 of Juncadella under braking for turn one. Unfortunately, as the first driver to encounter the wet track at racing speeds, Juncadella was caught out at turn five and slid through the gravel trap, dropping to the rear of the Hypercar field.

The variable grip levels proved a challenge for both cars, with both Juncadella and Lotterer suffering off-track moments as well as intermittent systems related issues which cost them valuable time.

Approaching the halfway point, the pace of the G8MR 3.2l V8 powered cars remained competitive, particularly for the #19 which was able to fight with those around it inside the points-paying positions. The #17’s race was impacted further after receiving a drive through penalty, but with Jaubert and then Pipo Derani, it reached the finish without further issues in P16.

Having taken over from Juncadella, Chatin continued to move the #19 back towards the top 10 positions as strategy began to play a part in the closing hours. Jaminet then brought the car to within half a second of a points finish with a strong final stint, but ultimately came up just short at the end. Despite the disappointment, the Genesis Magma Racing team gained more valuable data and lessons ahead of the final round of its maiden campaign in FIA WEC at Monza next month.

Genesis Magma Racing Team Management Quotes

Gabriele Tarquini, Genesis Magma Racing Sporting Director said: “Although we missed out on scoring points today, we saw that the potential of the car was there throughout the race. The positive point for us is knowing that we have a good car, but it’s clear that we also need to improve in certain areas, particularly in race trim. This will be our focus for the last race of the season at Monza, where we hope to have a trouble-free race there. Saturday was an unforgettable day for the whole team, securing the first pole position for Genesis; today was more challenging, we encountered some issues in the race which cost us points for both cars.”

Justin Taylor, Genesis Magma Racing Chief Engineer said: “It was a character-building day for everyone, drivers, engineers and mechanics included. With the single lap pace that we showed yesterday, our expectations for the race were pretty high, but clearly, we still have a lot to learn. We had a few small technical issues that just took us too long to sort out and that cost us too much time in the end. It’s all part of the learning process and we need to look into these issues and make sure we come back better prepared at Monza.”

Driver Quote - #17 GMR-001 Hypercar

Pipo Derani said: “The race was quite difficult for us, but we have to take the positives away from the weekend, which was the first pole position for Genesis Magma Racing, and we can be very happy with that. We had some issues during the race, which we were able to solve on the go, but this is the first year of this project and there are a lot of lessons to take into the future. The car has shown a lot of performance and really happy about that.”

Mathys Jaubert said: “Overall, it was a difficult race for us this weekend, but we showed that the pace over one lap was very good. On the other hand, there are still plenty of things to learn in terms of the race pace, car setup and the systems issues that we had during the race. There is a short gap between now and the last race of the year, so we hope to turn it around and score some points to finish the season on a high at Monza.”

André Lotterer said: “Unfortunately, not a good race for us, but there are lots of positives to take from this weekend with the pole position and a good performance from the sister car as well. We had some technical issues with the car which started after the first virtual safety car; up until that point it was quite good. All in all, we couldn’t really perform to our maximum because of this. It’s part of the process of being new to the championship but we will go home, analyze and try to fix this, and hope to be stronger at Monza. We’ve been strong in qualifying, but we need to improve on Sunday.”

Driver Quote - #19 GMR-001 Hypercar

Paul-Loup Chatin said: “I am happy with the performance that we have shown all weekend to be honest. We were quite strong in free practice, qualifying and even in the race; we just had some issues during the race but in the end, we were only half a second away from scoring our first points for the #19 car so this proves that the pace was strong. It is frustrating but we have to learn together as a team, and I am sure our time will come.”

Mathieu Jaminet said: “We need to keep the positives. Once again, we highlighted that the one-lap speed of the car is outstanding. For our first year, to start first and third was incredible, even if Saturday was not entirely smooth on our side. Unfortunately, the race didn’t go our way for a number of reasons, but we will take these learnings into the next three weeks, get our heads down and prepare as best we can for the final round of the season at Monza. We clearly have the speed, there is no question about this, and we are able to fight with the others, we just need to execute at every level and make that step to score points with both cars.”

Dani Juncadella said: “It’s a frustrating result for sure, there are a lot of areas we need to analyze but personally, just a bad day. I made a good start and was looking good for four corners and I just misjudged the grip and the braking point and went from first to last which was very annoying. We were really strong in the wet and I made my way back to P8 which was very nice, but when it dried out, we weren’t as competitive as we would have liked. There were some little setbacks during the race which made us drop back. Despite losing a lap, we nearly made the points, but it was not to be unfortunately.”

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FUJI, Japan, Sept. 27, 2026 — Genesis Magma Racing missed out on adding to its FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) points tally at the 6 Hours of Fuji, despite showing strong pace throughout a weekend of mixed conditions after late race penalties for both GMR-001 Hypercar took them out of the top 10 at Fuji Speedway.

Strong Pace in All Conditions Clouded by Mistakes

Dani Juncadella and André Lotterer started the race third and fifth respectively in the #19 and #17 GMR-001 Hypercars, thanks to their positions decided by the fastest Free Practice laps after Qualifying was cancelled due to wet conditions. The team’s best starting position was the result of not only the performance of the car, but also the foresight to plan ahead during the first sessions of the weekend.

Juncadella was able to hold third for the first hour of the race, while Lotterer — one of only a few drivers on four medium tires compared to the soft compound — struggled in his opening double stint, leaving teammates Mathys Jaubert and Pipo Derani to lead the recovery.

With Juncadella, then Paul-Loup Chatin and Mathieu Jaminet, the #19 entry held a top five position for much of the race. The trio showed the potential of the GMR-001 Hypercar despite the changing conditions, reaching the start of the final hour holding fifth place.

When most of the Hypercar field pitted together under Safety Car with less than 45 minutes remaining, the #19 crew lost time with a slow stop, dropping out of the top five but remaining in the points positions. Jaminet was able to win back one position after the restart. However, the chances of the first points for the lineup were dealt a major blow by a drive through penalty — assessed two hours after the infringement — which left the team with no time to recover the lost time, leaving the #19 car 11th at the end of the race, narrowly missing out on the points the performance deserved.

The sister car had recovered well to break into the points with Derani driving the final stint. However, the team’s failure to adapt quickly enough to dropping temperatures and light rain led to the car falling out of the prescribed tire pressure range, resulting in a drive through penalty that dropped the car to finish 15th.

Genesis Magma Racing Team Management Quotes

Gabriele Tarquini, Genesis Magma Racing Sporting Director said: “We have to take a lot of positive things from the race because our pace was very good both wet and dry and reliability was no problem again. The last two drivers faced difficult conditions on track because it was damp, but the car went well. The balance was very good, so that's part of the positive things from the weekend. But the execution of the race was not perfect. Any small mistakes cost you a lot and we paid very, very hard, especially in a race as compact as this because of the Safety Car in the last quarter of the race. So, we need to learn from and execute better the next race.”

Justin Taylor, Genesis Magma Racing Chief Engineer said: “11^th and 15^th is not the result that we wanted, but in motorsport, I think sometimes you have to look outside just the results at the end to see how you really did. Clearly, we made some mistakes. We have a lot of learning still left to do, but we had a lot of positives from the weekend. In Free Practice, our Qualifying [simulations] showed that the car is performing well, and we planned ahead to make sure we were ready in case Qualifying was cancelled, which paid off. During the race, we were able to be competitive with the big names on the grid. So, the GMR-001 Hypercar has performance. We know we have the potential. We just need to tie it all together on our side and on track.”

Driver Quote - #17 GMR-001 Hypercar

Pipo Derani said: “Unfortunately we had an issue there where we had to change tires. Temperatures were dropping quicker than we expected and we didn’t react well enough. We took a drive through because of it — unfortunate — but it is what it is. Definitely a weekend for us to learn. We showed some promise, some great potential, but this weekend was another reminder that to get to the top it takes a lot of effort, a lot of learning and we have to remind ourselves about that. We're going to analyze everything and come back stronger. I'm sure that things that we didn't execute so well the last race were better here, but we’re always facing new situations, making sure that we're on our toes. We keep learning and hopefully we'll be able to materialize a very strong result.”

Mathys Jaubert said: “My stint was not the easiest, but when you are not fighting a great position, you just focus on the target, saving the tires and not taking any penalties, trying to do a lot of energy saving to try to offset the strategy. This race was quite tough for the #17 GMR-001 Hypercar. We were missing some performance and small things have big consequences in this championship where the field is so strong and very close. We learned a lot, especially in the wet conditions we discovered this weekend. Comparing us to the other teams in these conditions we were not bad, and starting two cars in the top five, it's very positive. But then the race is about strategy and this weekend we had some issues which had big consequences.”

André Lotterer said: “We started third and fifth, and hoping to finish with both cars in the top eight, which was very realistic, especially for the sister car. Me, with the medium tires, they never came in, so had I to survive that opening stint, and we were hoping to move back up with Mathys and Pipo, which we actually did, but then we got penalties. On the other side, we were hoping to have a good result. It was looking good, like fourth, fifth, or with some other calls it could have even been better, so that's very encouraging. We're still a new team, and when you make small mistakes they cost a lot when the field is so close. It's all part of our learning curve. The potential is obviously there. We're still working on putting the puzzle together.”

Driver Quote - #19 GMR-001 Hypercar

Paul-Loup Chatin said: “I think overall it's still a strong weekend for us, even if we didn’t get the result that we wanted. We showed strong pace throughout the weekend, in wet conditions and in the dry. The #19 GMR-001 Hypercar was great. The top three in my stint were a bit faster than us, but we were doing what we needed to be capable of fighting with them. The mistake under double yellows was only small, but it cost us a lot, especially so late in the race, which is a shame. The team did a super good job, so there are still plenty of positive things from this weekend, but also a lot we can analyze, and I'm sure it will help us to come back stronger.”

Mathieu Jaminet said: “The car had decent pace, running P5 while managing tires and gap while competing at the front. It's one of the first times this year we were really running up front. Dani did an amazing job at the beginning, holding on for the first hour in the top three. But the Safety Car came out with an hour left and we didn't do our best stop and lost a few positions there. I had a fight at the restart and had really good pace. Unfortunately, we had a late drive-through for an infringement early in the race, so no points today. It’s a little bit frustrating to still have the #19 car on zero as today we definitely deserved more and the top five was on the cards. I'm pretty happy with the progress, but for sure we need to step up, but it's looking good towards the end of the year.”

Dani Juncadella said: “There were a lot of positives, of course. We were competitive in the dry, in mixed conditions and in the wet. We had a very good first half of the race. We were comfortably running around P4, so it was looking great. Unfortunately, the last pit stop was a bit of a chaotic one with the whole grid pitting all together, bunched up. We lost a bit there and that had a big consequence, so we dropped to P9 at the time. It looked like we were going to finish in P7, but we had a drive-through also for a small mistake under double yellows. It's a shame because I think everybody deserved a strong result today. Before the last pit stop we were ahead of the #8 Toyota that won the race.”

ㅤ2026 6 Hours of Fuji – Hypercar class

For the French driver, who is in the midst of prepping for the upcoming 6 Hours of Fuji, the primary appeal was the rare opportunity to help build and shape a factory racing effort from its earliest stages — while proudly representing the first Korean brand to compete at the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans.

“I really wanted a new challenge,” Jaminet said. “After last year, I wanted a fresh start, and what’s better than going with a brand-new team that has to establish itself in the World Endurance Championship.”

“I wanted to build something completely new and have a chance to make a small impact on the future success of the brand — the first ever Korean brand to go to Le Mans,” he said. “So, I was excited about that, and that’s why I chose to join Genesis Magma Racing.”

A Proven Championship Pedigree

Before taking on this new endeavor, Jaminet established himself as a dominant force in top-tier endurance racing series. While Genesis Magma Racing is navigating its debut season, this is not Jaminet's first time competing in the WEC or the Hypercar class. He previously competed in the WEC's Hypercar class with Porsche Penske Motorsport, adding to a wealth of prototype experience that includes more than 24 Hypercar starts across the globe.

Jaminet rose from a Porsche Junior to an elite factory driver over a decorated decade-long stint. He captured early career titles like the 2016 Porsche Carrera Cup France and the 2018 ADAC GT Masters, before taking North American endurance racing by storm.

In International Motor Sports Association (IMSA), Jaminet clinched the 2022 GTD Pro Championship — which included a prestigious class victory at the Rolex 24 At Daytona — before moving up to the premier prototype class to capture the 2025 IMSA GTP Championship title. His jump to Genesis Magma Racing marks a bold leap out of his established comfort zone to steer a brand-new Hypercar program from the ground up.

Working in a Smaller Team

Jaminet says the smaller size of Genesis Magma Racing has made day-to-day communication more direct across the drivers, engineers and mechanics.

“It is obviously a very different culture and atmosphere than what I was used to in the past,” he said. “The team is quite a bit smaller, which on one hand is good — communication is way easier, the flow is good within mechanics, engineers, and the driver group. It’s easier to pick up on information and feedback, and to share our inputs as well.”

He sees the team’s mix of experiences as a benefit while the program continues to develop.

“Everyone comes with some experience from the past, and it’s a place where everyone can share their thoughts and try to move the team forward,” Jaminet said. “I really like that — it’s super cool to work with the team, we have good fun on and off the track. I’m happy and looking forward to continuing like that.”

Consistency Across Both Garages

Genesis Magma Racing runs two Hypercars in the WEC: #17 and #19. According to Jaminet, the goal is for there to be as little technical difference as possible between them.

“There shouldn’t be much difference between the two cars — at least from a technical standpoint, you want both cars as well prepared as possible, in exactly the same way,” he said.

The main differences are practical and driver-specific. In the #19 car, the seat is set up around Jaminet, with inserts used to accommodate his teammates.

“If we talk small differences, one is the seat — made to fit each driver,” he said. “On #19 car the base seat is set for me as the tallest driver, and Paul and Dani use inserts to fit. Aside from that and some different colors and stickers on the bodywork, there’s normally no difference between the cars.”

Preparing for Different Roles

In endurance racing, three drivers share the same car. That makes planning important, both before a race weekend and during each practice session.

“In endurance racing, we’re three drivers sharing a car, so we try to define each person’s role before the season or the weekend,” Jaminet said. “For example, I’m the qualifying driver, so my goal is to work on qualifying prep in free practice.”

Jaminet’s preparation focuses particularly on low-fuel, new-tire laps. The starting driver, Spaniard Dani Juncadella, has a different preparation requirement because the formation lap gives him time to warm the tires before the start.

“The run plan reflects each driver’s role — Dani, as the starting driver, doesn’t need to focus as much on cold tires and hard laps since he has the formation lap to warm up tires,” Jaminet said. “That’s something Paul-Loup [Chatin] and I really practice more, and I usually spend more time working on a low-fuel, new-tire run to put us as high as possible on the grid.

“We define the roles beforehand, then work on a run plan with the engineers so everyone gets laps in and is best prepared for their task,” he explained.

Recharging During Long Races

Between stints, Jaminet focuses on the usual requirements for endurance drivers: food, hydration and recovery. He does not follow a strict personal routine, but he does have one preferred snack during 24-hour events.

“I don’t really have a personal routine,” he said. “One thing I enjoy — not very common — is Nutella and bread, Nutella brioche, between stints on 24-hour races,” Jaminet confessed with a smile.

“Maybe not the best food for the body, but it recharges you a bit and gives you energy,” he added. “It’s more of a mental thing — I love Nutella, and it gives me a little moment of joy by myself, eating that piece of bread and grabbing a drink, whether after a good or bad stint.”

“Beyond that, standard food — rice, chicken, pasta — recharging on carbs, and making sure to get water, juice, and electrolytes, since you lose a lot of fluid in the car,” Jaminet said.

Completing Le Mans

One of the season’s key milestones was Genesis Magma Racing completing the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Jaminet piloted the team’s only remaining #19 Hypercar to the finish, crossing the line to the loud cheers of his pit crew who had climbed the pit wall, waving wildly and excitedly punching the air with their fists.

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

The #17 Hypercar could not continue after impact from an aggressive maneuver over a curb in the final stretch damaged the front right suspension.

Le Mans is defined as much by reliability as speed. Attrition is constant over 24 hours, and even established manufacturers see their entries retire before the checkered flag. To be officially classified as race finish, a car must also complete at least 70% of the winning car’s distance. For Genesis Magma Racing, reaching that threshold represented a successful first outing at the Circuit de la Sarthe.

“Yes, I was part of the first Korean brand that completed the 24 Hours of Le Mans. I was lucky enough to be in the car and to finish the race,” he said. “Honestly, it felt very special, I knew it jumping in.”

In the final laps, his priority was straightforward: avoid problems and bring the car home.

“I really hoped we wouldn’t have issues and to bring the car to the end,” Jaminet said. “Obviously, when you come to those last laps, you don’t feel the extra pressure, but you still don’t want to make any silly mistakes that would be costly.”

While he has finished races before, the significance of this result was different given the occasion and the responsibility he held in the final stint.

“I’ve had a chance to finish races before, it’s always special, but finishing the 24 Hours of Le Mans was a bit more emotional, knowing it’s the first time in history and I have the trust of the brand, the management and the team behind me to be the one to bring the car to the line,” he said.

“It was a privilege and I’m proud to have been part of that, and that I have written the first few lines of the history of the Genesis brand’s racing legacy.”

Signs of Progress

At Interlagos, Jaminet topped the Free Practice 2 (FP2) session on his first visit to the circuit. He saw the session result as a positive sign, while keeping a grounded perspective.

“My first visit to Interlagos — we set the best time in FP2,” he said. “Just a free practice session, but it shows that we’re taking steps and getting closer.”

Jaminet said he is generally able to get up to speed quickly when adapting to a new car or circuit.

“What helped me find pace so quickly is hard to say — I’m usually a quick learner, especially in motorsport, so I don’t need much time or many laps on a new track and a new car to try to find the limits,” he said. “It worked out well there, being my first time in Brazil.”

“In FP2 we did a qualifying simulation and the car was good. Not every team was on a qualifying simulation, but many cars were, and somehow, we topped the session,” he continued. “It might not seem like much, but it was our first official P1 on a race weekend. It all starts with a free practice, so that’s a good sign heading toward future qualifying and races later this year or next year.”

Jaminet says the team’s progress is also visible in the way it functions, and the growing relationship with their fans and followers.

“The team has completed every race so far, and it does feel like we are growing quickly — I feel that momentum going into race weekends,” he said. “We’re growing on the operational side and building trust between us. The energy of the fans and the atmosphere is also there, and their confidence in us is building.”

With just three races to go until the end of the season, he says the team is motivated by the results so far and is prepared to consider different race strategies when opportunities arise.

“One thing I like is that we’re a bit greedy — when we’re close to a point, we get creative on strategy to try to get there,” he said.

“You can feel within the team that people want to win, and honestly, that’s all I care about — I’m not interested in anything less than winning. You want people like that around you; that’s the only way to succeed.”

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

Race Debut Builds on Foundations Laid During Testing

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

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

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

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

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

Genesis Magma Racing Team Management Quotes

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

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

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

Driver Quotes - #17 GMR-001 Hypercar

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

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

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

Driver Quotes - #19 GMR-001 Hypercar

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

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

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

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

Experience and Pedigree Complete Genesis Magma Racing Squad 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WEC Race Winner Chatin Brings Important Development Knowledge to New Team 

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

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

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

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

Final Tests Give Team Opportunities to Assess Potential Driver Partnerships 

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

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

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

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

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

Driver Profile: Mathieu Jaminet

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

Career Highlights:

Driver Profile: Paul-Loup Chatin

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

Career Highlights: