Genesis Magma Racing celebrated a landmark moment in its FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) journey after securing its first points finish during the TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. The Korean manufacturer overcame technical setbacks, strategic pressure and fierce late-race battles to finish eighth in only its second appearance in the Hypercar category.
After both GMR-001 Hypercars completed the season opener at Imola, the team arrived in Belgium determined to build on that encouraging foundation. Although challenges emerged again during the race weekend, Genesis responded with tactical bravery and disciplined execution to deliver a breakthrough result ahead of next month’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Spa Qualifying progress signals Genesis Magma Racing’s growing potential in 2026 WEC campaign
Genesis continued its steady improvement during Qualifying at Spa. Mathieu Jaminet reduced the gap to the outright pace compared to Imola and placed the #19 GMR-001 Hypercar 14th on the grid. Importantly, he outpaced both the #51 Ferrari and the #8 Toyota, which had finished first and second, respectively, in the opening race of the season.
However, electrical issues during the race severely affected the #19 crew of Jaminet, Paul-Loup Chatin and Daniel Juncadella. The problems cost the car seven laps and forced the sister #17 entry to carry the team’s hopes for a strong result.
Aggressive strategy changes the race
André Lotterer started the race in the #17 Genesis before the team made a decisive strategic move during Mathys Jaubert’s second stint. By short-fuelling the car, Genesis gained valuable track position and moved into the top ten.
Jaubert then delivered an impressive pace display. He recorded the eighth-fastest race lap among all Hypercar drivers and remained within striking distance of the frontrunners before handing over to Pipo Derani for the closing stages.
Soon afterwards, the team encountered another obstacle when the #17 developed a power-related issue. Nevertheless, Genesis responded with another bold strategic call under Virtual Safety Car conditions. Instead of changing tyres during the final stop, the team kept Derani on used rubber to save critical seconds in the pits and gain track position.
While speaking to FIAWEC after the race, Lotterer praised the decisive approach.
“It’s very emotional for the team,” agreed Lotterer. “The strategy came towards us and we were a bit aggressive, but we took it. It was a very big day for Genesis Magma Racing and the whole brand, to score our first points so early in this journey.
“Pipo did some amazing defending. It was really tough for him, being longer on the tyres and needing to manage some issues with the car, but he kept his cool and did a really good job. What we did at Imola was already a great achievement. We had similar aims to reach the finish at Spa and establish ourselves in this championship, but secretly, I had hopes for our first points – and they came.”
Derani delivers under pressure
Derani faced immense pressure during the final half-hour of the race. Despite struggling with reduced power and ageing tyres, the Brazilian climbed as high as sixth before eventually securing eighth position at the chequered flag.
He defended fiercely against faster rivals, including Cadillac driver Norman Nato and four-time world champion Sébastien Buemi in the factory Toyota. Through disciplined energy management and calm decision-making, Derani preserved Genesis’ position inside the points. After the race, he reflected on the demanding final stint.
“We were battling some issues from the moment I got in the car,” the two-time IMSA title-winner explained. “I was trying to survive, understand what we could do to improve and get to the chequered flag. I kept pushing for a strategy to gain track position to try and maybe hold the cars behind, because it was the only way we would get to the points.
He continued, “I kept my head down and was fighting to manage the energy while asking the engineers the numbers, and in the end, we did it. It’s still such early days for us, and I’m very proud of the team, bringing the first points home for Genesis Magma Racing. It might have been ‘just’ a P8, but it felt like a victory.”
Genesis Magma Racing team management hails emotional WEC breakthrough at Spa
Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul described the result as a major emotional milestone for the entire programme. While acknowledging that technical concerns remain, he highlighted the flawless execution of the late-race strategy.
“We are still a very young team, and this result is an extremely emotional moment for every single member,” reflected Abiteboul. “I hope it will make the entire Hyundai Motor Group proud. As we had some issues with power and energy consumption, we decided to make an aggressive strategic move towards the end of the race with a very short stop for the #17 GMR-001 Hypercar – perfectly executed by the pit crew – and it played out very nicely.
“We need to continue consolidating our foundation so that we can be here and beyond on a regular basis, but it’s great that it’s coming now because it also gives us the momentum to tackle the issues we’ve been facing before the next major milestone in our programme at Le Mans.”
Sporting Director Gabriele Tarquini also praised the team’s composure under pressure while recognising the ongoing development work ahead.
“It’s an amazing result for all of Genesis Magma Racing,” echoed Tarquini. “We were under a lot of pressure at the end, but ‘Pipo’ protected his position superbly. He did a fantastic job, as did André and Mathys. Despite improvements since Imola, the #19 car unfortunately had some problems again, but step-by-step, we’re climbing the hill.”
Momentum builds ahead of Le Mans
Although Genesis still faces reliability challenges, Spa provided clear evidence of the programme’s rapid progress. Both Hypercars reached the finish once again, while the #19 machine recovered to finish 13th despite its electrical troubles.
More importantly, the team gathered valuable data regarding tyre management, energy usage and race execution under competitive conditions. Consequently, Genesis now heads to the 24 Hours of Le Mans with growing confidence and increasing momentum.
The legendary French endurance race will provide the toughest test yet for the ambitious Hypercar newcomer. However, after securing its first FIA WEC points through determination, calculated risk and disciplined teamwork at Spa, Genesis Magma Racing arrives with genuine belief that further progress lies ahead.
