Genesis Magma Racing officially launched on 4 December 2024, and just under 500 days later, the manufacturer’s new WEC Hypercar will make its competitive debut at Italy’s Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari. The eagerly anticipated 6 Hours of Imola (17–19 April) will mark the start of the Le Castellet-based team’s WEC campaign.
Despite the compressed timeframe, the team has hit every development milestone on schedule. The first G8MR 3.2-litre turbo V8, based on Hyundai Motorsport’s WRC four-cylinder block, fired up in February 2025, while ORECA constructed the first GMR-001 chassis. Testing commenced at Circuit Paul Ricard in August, with the programme now exceeding 25,000 kilometres across representative circuits.
Chief Engineer Justin Taylor praised the car’s progress. “We set some high mileage targets for various components and we have achieved most of them, but more importantly, the mileage has been productive. As well as endurance, we also focused on making sure we could run consistently to our full potential within the FIA WEC technical regulations.
“Our first goal this season is to finish races without problems or penalties. Then, we can start to look to move forward in the Hypercar class, step-by-step – Hyperpole appearances, achieving finishes on the lead lap and challenging for top five results on pace.”
Genesis Magma Racing on building a team from scratch to realise WEC Hypercar ambitions
Genesis Magma Racing’s challenge extended far beyond the car. The team comprises 75 personnel representing 16 nationalities, split between the 2,900-square-metre race base in southern France and two German facilities: Hyundai Motorsport Headquarters and the Technical Centre nearby.
Many team members bring extensive motorsport experience, with 80 per cent of the on-event crew participating in the Barcelona test last year to validate operational plans. Team Manager Anouck Abadie reflected on the advantage of starting fresh.
He said, “Starting from a white page does have advantages. We could do what we thought was best for the team’s structure, without having to follow anything that had gone before, and put the right people in the right roles without any compromises or politics. We were only focused on what we thought would work best.”
Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul emphasised the project’s long-term ambition, saying, “This is the beginning of a long-term project for Genesis Magma Racing and we wanted to start with our own soul, skill and people. Genesis also wants to understand motorsport as a manufacturer and bring that high-performance culture to the company. The only way to do that was to remove the firewall between the race team and the brand and take full control ourselves.”
GMR-001: Athletic elegance on track with an ambitious line-up
The GMR-001 Hypercar embodies Genesis’ philosophy of ‘Athletic Elegance’. Its parabolic lines, distinctive ‘Two-Line’ headlight signature and national flag-inspired livery reflect the marque’s road-car design language while honouring its Korean roots. The word ‘Magma’ in Hangeul further underscores the car’s heritage.
This strong identity aligns with Genesis’ goal of blending performance with brand values, providing both a competitive and visually distinctive presence on the WEC grid.
The #17 GMR-001 will be piloted by two-time world champion André Lotterer, IMSA title-winner ‘Pipo’ Derani, and rising French star Mathys Jaubert. Lotterer has encouraged a measured, pragmatic approach for the team’s first season.
“For most of us who have been in the sport a long time, the ultimate goal is to win and until then, you’re not too happy – but the dynamic is obviously different when you join as a new manufacturer against teams that have been racing for years,” he said.
“The car has run without problems in testing and life has been pretty good, but in a racing scenario, it can be different. It would be amazing to finish our first race without any issues and accumulate maximum experience – that would be a great achievement. We will do our best to be as competitive as possible.”
Looking ahead to a new chapter
Genesis Magma Racing enters FIA WEC as a fully integrated manufacturer team, combining fresh engineering approaches, a diverse workforce, and a distinctive car. While ultimate podium success may take time, the focus is clear: reliable performance, learning, and incremental progress as the team establishes itself among endurance racing’s elite.
