André Lotterer praised Genesis Magma Racing teammate Mathys Jaubert after the 21-year-old secured the manufacturer’s first FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) Hypercar pole position at the 2026 6 Hours of Barcelona. The two-time World Endurance Champion described the Frenchman’s performance as a significant milestone for the Korean manufacturer’s developing programme.
Jaubert recorded a 1:30.166 during Saturday’s Hyperpole session, beating Toyota Racing’s Ryō Hirakawa by 0.170 seconds. The result made him the youngest outright pole-sitter in FIA WEC history, while teammate Mathieu Jaminet qualified third in the sister #19 GMR-001.
Genesis Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul also welcomed the performance, highlighting the manufacturer’s investment in young drivers through its Trajectory Programme. The Barcelona weekend additionally brought confirmation that Daniel Juncadella would remain with Genesis in 2027, providing another important step in the team’s preparations for its second Hypercar campaign.
Lotterer praises Jaubert’s historic qualifying performance
Genesis entered the penultimate round of the championship having demonstrated growing competitiveness throughout its debut season. The manufacturer continued that progress during practice at Barcelona before producing its strongest collective qualifying performance to date.
Jaminet led the opening qualifying segment in the #19 Genesis, with Jaubert also progressing comfortably into Hyperpole. The French drivers subsequently secured two of the leading three grid positions, establishing Genesis as Toyota’s closest challenger over a single lap.
Jaubert’s pole was particularly significant given his limited experience at the highest level of endurance racing. At just 21, he became the youngest driver to secure outright pole position in FIA WEC history.
Lotterer, who shares the #17 Genesis with Jaubert and Pipo Derani, praised the youngster’s speed and the wider team’s development.
“It was a mega job by Mathys. We knew from the beginning he was quick – that’s why we put him in the car for qualifying – and I think a little star has been born here.”
He continued, “We’ve had a few milestones in our short journey so far – finishing our first race, scoring our first points – but this is our first real impact and it’s fantastic to achieve a result like this, which is down to a great team effort. We’ve been operating quite well. We’ve had our ups-and-downs and we still need to improve a lot of things, but we’re growing, we’re getting there and this shows we mean serious business.”
Abiteboul highlights success of Genesis Trajectory Programme
Jaubert’s achievement also provided an important milestone for the Genesis Trajectory Programme, which the manufacturer established to identify and develop promising drivers for its endurance racing operations.
The Frenchman progressed through the programme following his achievements in GT racing and the European Le Mans Series, gaining valuable prototype experience before joining Genesis for its inaugural WEC campaign.
Abiteboul explained that developing younger talent had been an important consideration from the beginning of the project. Rather than relying exclusively on established Hypercar competitors, Genesis sought drivers who had demonstrated potential but had not necessarily received opportunities at the highest level.
Quotes from Abiteboul
“When we decided to start this journey in FIA WEC, I immediately proposed to the Hyundai management to invest in a young generation of drivers and give a chance to drivers that have maybe been around but not been properly given the opportunity, and that’s what we call our Trajectory Programme, in order to give a trajectory to those people we believe deserve it.”
“Mathys clearly ticked those boxes in all respects. He’s also coming from what we believe is the right type of formula, meaning GT racing. We know the parallel connection that exists between GTs and the type of cars we are racing right now, rather than single-seaters, where we see less connection. It is probably a choice that is validated.”
“There’s no better way in sport to show the amount and the quality of the work that has been done than delivering a good result. We’ve been making statements. We’ve felt that the car was good, that the drivers were very capable, and that the team was coming together, but it’s one thing to say it, it’s one thing sometimes to show it in certain situations, but it’s something else when it’s at the right moment, and when it really matters.”
“I think here, it really matters. It’s a demanding track. We all know that Barcelona is a benchmark track, so achieving pole here is really good. It’s a small step towards the race, so we need to remain humble – but we are very hungry, too…”
Barcelona pole represents major milestone for Genesis
Jaubert’s achievement marked a significant step in Genesis’ development since joining the WEC at the beginning of 2026.
The manufacturer made its competitive debut at Imola in April before securing its first championship points with the #17 GMR-001 at Spa-Francorchamps. Further progress followed throughout the season, with the team gradually demonstrating improved reliability, operational efficiency and outright performance.
Genesis had already shown encouraging speed during the Barcelona practice sessions, placing the #17 among the leading Hypercar competitors. However, its qualifying performance provided the clearest indication yet of the prototype’s potential.
Jaubert secured pole with a 1:30.166, while Jaminet completed the top three with a 1:30.490. The pair finished either side of Hirakawa’s Toyota, demonstrating that Genesis could challenge established manufacturers in competitive qualifying conditions.
The result also highlighted the different experience levels within the Genesis line-up. While Lotterer and Derani arrived with extensive prototype racing achievements, Jaubert entered the programme as a developing driver preparing for his first full Hypercar season.
His performance in Barcelona therefore represented both an individual milestone and validation of the team’s broader driver development strategy.
Juncadella welcomes confirmation of 2027 Genesis seat
Alongside its qualifying breakthrough, Genesis confirmed during the Barcelona weekend that Daniel Juncadella would remain with the team for the 2027 FIA WEC season.
The Spaniard has played an important role in Genesis’ debut campaign, sharing the #19 GMR-001 with Jaminet and Paul-Loup Chatin. His previous experience in GT and prototype racing has contributed to the development of the team’s new Hypercar.
The announcement carried particular significance for Juncadella, who received confirmation of his continued involvement while competing at his home circuit.
The 35-year-old expressed his enthusiasm about remaining with Genesis, highlighting the progress achieved during his first season in Hypercar machinery.
“I’m already massively motivated for next year. My first season in Hypercar has been a valuable experience. As a rookie, even at 35, there were still a lot of things to learn, but I feel like I have got better and better through the season, and so has the team.”
“It’s great to receive this news at my home race, because I have my family and friends around to enjoy the moment with me. Racing in Barcelona in FIA WEC is something I never really expected – and being part of the event while confirming my place in the team has left me really pumped up for the race.”
Juncadella’s confirmation provided an early indication of Genesis’ intention to maintain continuity as it prepares for its second championship campaign. His familiarity with the GMR-001 and the team’s operations will allow Genesis to build on the development work completed throughout 2026.
Tarquini praises Juncadella’s contribution to Genesis
Genesis Magma Racing Sporting Director Gabriele Tarquini also welcomed Juncadella’s continuation, emphasising the importance of his experience and performances throughout the manufacturer’s debut season.
Although Genesis has encountered setbacks during its first WEC campaign, the team has continued improving its understanding of the GMR-001 through testing and competitive race weekends.
Juncadella has contributed to that process alongside Chatin and Jaminet, combining his existing endurance racing experience with the knowledge gained during his first full Hypercar campaign.
“Dani’s performances this season have been consistently impressive, and his recent FIA WEC experience has been very important to the team. I’m very happy that we can confirm him for 2027, and I hope we can achieve further milestones together in the final two rounds of this season.”
Tarquini’s comments reflected the importance Genesis places on retaining experienced personnel as its programme develops.
The manufacturer subsequently confirmed on 21 October that all six current drivers would remain for 2027, extending that commitment beyond Juncadella.
Lotterer, Derani, Jaubert, Jaminet, Chatin and Juncadella will therefore continue representing the manufacturer, although Genesis has yet to announce the exact distribution of drivers between its two Hypercars for next season.
Genesis looks to build on Barcelona breakthrough
Despite its impressive qualifying performance, Genesis could not convert its front-row start into a comparable result during Sunday’s six-hour race.
Juncadella briefly took the lead at Turn 1 in the #19 Genesis before running through the gravel at Turn 5, dropping towards the rear of the Hypercar field. Meanwhile, the pole-sitting #17 encountered difficulties throughout the race, preventing Jaubert, Lotterer and Derani from challenging the leading crews.
The #19 eventually finished 11th, narrowly missing the points, while the #17 completed the race further down the classification. Toyota Racing ultimately secured victory and the Manufacturers’ Championship with a one-two finish.
Nevertheless, Jaubert’s historic pole provided an important indication of Genesis’ progress, demonstrating that the GMR-001 could compete against established Hypercar manufacturers on outright pace.
The result also reinforced the significance of the team’s Trajectory Programme, with one of its young recruits delivering the manufacturer’s first major qualifying achievement less than a season into its WEC participation.
Genesis will conclude its maiden campaign at the 6 Hours of Monza on 6–8 November before returning with the same six drivers for 2027.
Having already secured its first points and maiden pole position, the team will now aim to convert that growing competitiveness into stronger race results as it enters the next stage of its Hypercar programme.
