Genesis Magma Racing has confirmed that all six of its current drivers will remain with the team for the 2027 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), prioritising continuity as the Korean manufacturer prepares for its second season in the Hypercar category.
André Lotterer, Pipo Derani, Mathys Jaubert, Mathieu Jaminet, Paul-Loup Chatin and Daniel Juncadella will continue representing Genesis next year, following a debut campaign that has included the manufacturer’s first championship points and maiden Hypercar pole position.
The announcement follows Juncadella’s confirmation for 2027 during the recent 6 Hours of Barcelona weekend. Genesis has now confirmed the remaining five drivers, maintaining the experience and working relationships established during the GMR-001’s development.
Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul and Sporting Director Gabriele Tarquini welcomed the decision, highlighting the importance of retaining the knowledge accumulated throughout the team’s inaugural championship campaign.
Genesis retains experienced six-driver Hypercar line-up
Genesis will enter its second FIA WEC season with the same six drivers who joined the manufacturer’s inaugural Hypercar programme in 2026.
The #17 GMR-001 has been driven by two-time FIA World Endurance Champion Lotterer, two-time IMSA champion Derani and rising French talent Jaubert. Meanwhile, Jaminet, Chatin and Juncadella have shared the sister #19 entry.
The combination of experienced endurance racers and emerging talent has provided Genesis with a foundation for developing its GMR-001 Hypercar while adapting to the demands of competition against established manufacturers.
Although both crews have encountered difficulties during the season, they have also contributed to several important milestones, including the team’s first points finish at Spa-Francorchamps and its breakthrough qualifying performance at Barcelona.
The decision to retain all six drivers will allow Genesis to continue building on those experiences without introducing an entirely new driving roster.
However, the manufacturer has not yet confirmed whether the existing combinations will remain unchanged. The exact distribution of drivers between its two Hypercars will be announced ahead of the opening round of the 2027 championship.
Abiteboul highlights importance of continuity for 2027
Genesis Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul expressed satisfaction with the performances of the manufacturer’s drivers throughout its debut campaign.
The Frenchman emphasised their contribution both during race weekends and throughout the ongoing development of the GMR-001. With Genesis seeking to become more competitive in its second season, Abiteboul believes retaining the team’s existing knowledge will provide an important advantage.
“We’re extremely happy with the performance of our drivers this year – both in the races and as we continue to develop the GMR-001 Hypercar,” Abiteboul said. “Looking to 2027, it was about what we felt was the best choice for us to quickly take the next step we need. Retaining our driver line-up – and the knowledge they have of the GMR-001 Hypercar – is an important part of that.”
His comments underline the importance of stability within a programme that remains relatively early in its development.
Genesis has spent its debut season building its understanding of the GMR-001 while establishing the operational structure required to compete at the highest level of endurance racing.
By retaining the same drivers, the manufacturer will preserve the relationships developed between its crews and technical personnel, allowing the team to concentrate on improving performance rather than integrating a substantially different line-up.
Genesis builds on maiden points finish and historic Barcelona pole
Genesis made its competitive FIA WEC debut at Imola in April 2026, successfully bringing both GMR-001 Hypercars to the finish in the opening round.
The manufacturer subsequently secured its first championship points at Spa-Francorchamps, where Lotterer, Derani and Jaubert finished eighth in the #17 entry. The trio improved on that result at Circuit of The Americas in September, claiming seventh to record Genesis’ best finish of the season.
Further progress followed during the 6 Hours of Fuji, where the sister #19 Genesis demonstrated competitive race pace and challenged among the leading Hypercars before setbacks prevented it from securing a stronger result.
However, the team’s most significant breakthrough came during the 6 Hours of Barcelona qualifying session.
Jaubert secured Genesis’ first outright Hypercar pole position with a 1:30.166, becoming the youngest driver to achieve the feat in FIA WEC history at 21. Jaminet completed an impressive session for the manufacturer by qualifying third in the sister car.
Although Genesis could not translate that qualifying performance into a podium finish, the result demonstrated the progress made during its inaugural campaign.
Tarquini praises driver relationships and technical development
Genesis Sporting Director Gabriele Tarquini also welcomed the decision to retain the existing line-up, highlighting the relationships established between the drivers and the wider team.
The former touring car champion believes the collaboration between the six drivers has been particularly important in helping Genesis develop its Hypercar throughout the season.
While the team’s on-track progress has provided encouraging results, Tarquini emphasised that the working environment established between drivers, engineers and other personnel has been equally valuable.
“Our drivers have worked together incredibly well this season,” Tarquini said. “The performances on-track have been strong, but more importantly, the dynamic between them has been great from the first moments. Their work together, and with our technical staff, has been very important in the progress we have made during the season, and by keeping the same drivers for 2027, we can continue that positive trajectory.”
Tarquini’s comments reinforce Genesis’ emphasis on continuity as the manufacturer prepares for the next stage of its development.
The team has already demonstrated improvements in outright pace and race competitiveness, but consistency remains an important objective.
Maintaining its driver roster should allow Genesis to build on the technical feedback gathered throughout 2026, particularly as the team continues addressing the operational difficulties that have affected several promising performances.
Juncadella’s renewal provides first confirmation for 2027
Genesis began confirming its 2027 driver roster during the Barcelona weekend, announcing that Juncadella would remain with the team for another season.
The Spaniard has played an important role in the development of the #19 GMR-001, sharing driving duties with Jaminet and Chatin throughout the manufacturer’s debut campaign.
His previous experience in GT and prototype racing has provided Genesis with valuable knowledge, particularly as the team continues refining its understanding of Hypercar competition.
The renewal also carried personal significance for Juncadella, with Genesis announcing the agreement during his home race weekend.
His confirmation was followed by the decision to retain the remaining five drivers, ensuring that Genesis will begin its second championship campaign with an unchanged roster.
The manufacturer has therefore opted to maintain the combination of established endurance experience and emerging talent that helped it achieve several milestones during its first season.
Genesis targets further progress in second Hypercar season
Although Genesis has secured its first championship points and pole position, the manufacturer has yet to achieve its maiden FIA WEC podium.
Its competitive performances at Fuji and Barcelona demonstrated the GMR-001’s improving potential, but both events also highlighted the importance of converting outright pace into strong race results.
The team will now aim to build on its existing foundation as it prepares for 2027, with the development of the GMR-001 remaining a central priority.
Retaining its drivers should provide continuity throughout that process, allowing Genesis to benefit from their accumulated experience while pursuing greater consistency.
However, the manufacturer still has one race remaining in its debut campaign, with the 2026 FIA WEC season concluding at the 6 Hours of Monza on 6–8 November.
The final round will provide another opportunity for Genesis to evaluate its progress before returning for its second season in 2027.
With Lotterer, Derani, Jaubert, Jaminet, Chatin and Juncadella all confirmed to continue, the team has established the foundation of its future driver programme. The final composition of its two crews remains the only outstanding element of its 2027 line-up.
