Genesis Magma Racing Completes WEC Debut Season, “Emerging as a New Force”

First South Korean automaker to contest a full Hypercar season

Seventh at Lone Star Le Mans; youngest-ever pole position

Returning next year with the same driver lineup

Genesis has completed the full season of the Hypercar class in the World Endurance Championship (WEC), one of the world’s premier endurance racing series, becoming the first South Korean automaker to do so.

The GMR-001 #19 car during the 6 Hours of Monza at Autodromo Nazionale Monza in Monza, Italy. Genesis Magma Racing

Genesis Magma Racing, the automaker’s racing team, announced on the 9th that it had wrapped up the season after completing the 2026 Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) WEC finale, the 6 Hours of Monza, held on the 8th local time in Monza, Lombardy, Italy.

After six hours of racing, the No. 17 GMR-001 Hypercar finished 13th. The No. 19 car, which had qualified second, held a place among the leaders for about the first two hours before retiring due to a system issue. By completing the 6 Hours of Monza, Genesis became the first South Korean manufacturer to contest an entire WEC Hypercar season.

Genesis completed the formation of its team and development of its car in just 499 days after announcing its official entry into motorsports in 2024. Both cars completed the race in the 6 Hours of Imola, the team’s Hypercar class debut, attracting attention in South Korea and abroad. The No. 17 car then finished eighth in the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, earning the team its first points. In the third round, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, regarded as the world’s most prestigious endurance race, the No. 19 car overcame several engine shutdowns to finish the race.

At Lone Star Le Mans, the No. 17 car finished seventh, the team’s best result of the season. At the 6 Hours of Barcelona, the car finished the race, while driver Mathys Jaubert claimed pole position, or first place in qualifying, becoming the youngest driver in WEC history to do so and setting a new record.

Genesis Magma Racing’s achievements in this year’s WEC season were attributed to operations grounded in data and experience, as well as a driver lineup combining veterans and newcomers. The team adapted its tire strategy to weather and track conditions and used bold pit-stop strategies to keep its cars in the race. The combination of veterans such as Andre Lotterer and Pipo Derani with young drivers such as Mathys Jaubert also helped the team demonstrate solid teamwork.

The GMR-001 #17 car during the 6 Hours of Monza at Autodromo Nazionale Monza in Monza, Italy. Genesis Magma Racing

Global motorsports publications including Motorsport.com and RACER said, “Genesis Magma Racing has shown that around 500 days of intensive preparation can lead to a polished debut,” adding, “Genesis is emerging as a new force challenging the established order in the Hypercar class.”

Gabriele Tarquini, sporting director of Genesis Magma Racing, said, “The strong qualifying performance at the 6 Hours of Monza and the first two hours of the race showed us the potential of the GMR-001 Hypercar, but overall, it was a weekend of mixed fortunes.” He added, “We will address the areas for improvement identified in recent races and return stronger for the 2027 season.”

Pipo Derani, driver of the No. 17 GMR-001 Hypercar, said, “It’s disappointing that we lost a lot of pace in the latter part of the race because of a powertrain issue, but we gathered a great deal of data as we continued to make progress throughout the season.” He added, “Genesis Magma Racing will grow even stronger and return in 2027.”

Genesis Magma Racing plans to make full use of the data gathered and the drivers’ experience from this year’s WEC season to further improve car performance and operational execution. The team is set to compete in next year’s WEC with the same driver lineup, taking part in a total of nine races.

Meanwhile, Genesis has continued its efforts to expand the motorsports scene in South Korea and develop new drivers. This year, it introduced motorsports to local customers through various events, including the Busan International Mobility Show, the “Genesis Magma X GMR” special exhibition, and the “Genesis Magma Racing Live Festival.” It is also working to develop drivers through the launch of the Genesis Magma Racing esports team and initiatives such as the “Genesis Magma Racing Trajectory Program.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.