Genesis Magma Racing wraps up WEC debut season with a season-best seventh place

[Financial News] GENESIS’s racing team, Genesis Magma Racing (GMR), has completed its debut season in the Hypercar class of the World Endurance Championship (WEC).
According to GENESIS on the 9th, No. 17 finished 13th in the final round, the 6 Hours of Monza, held in Monza, Italy, on the 8th (local time). No. 19, which started from second place after qualifying, ran near the front for about two hours early in the race but retired due to a system issue. The team’s best result of the season was seventh, achieved by No. 17 at Lone Star Le Mans.
GENESIS said it completed the team’s formation and vehicle development 499 days after officially announcing its entry into motorsports in 2024. Both cars finished the team’s debut race, the 6 Hours of Imola. At the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, No. 17 scored its first points with an eighth-place finish.
At the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which was the third round of the WEC, No. 19 finished despite experiencing multiple engine shutdowns. At the 6 Hours of Barcelona, the team finished the race, and Mathys Jaubert in No. 17 took pole position as the youngest driver in WEC history, GENESIS said.
GENESIS competed in a total of eight races this year. It became the first domestic manufacturer to complete a season in the WEC Hypercar class. The GMR team continued racing with tire management tailored to the weather and track conditions and bold pit-stop strategies, while veterans such as André Lotterer and Pipo Derani teamed up with younger drivers including Jaubert. GENESIS said overseas specialist publications such as Motorsport.com and Racer praised how roughly 500 days of intensive preparation had led to a polished debut.
Gabriele Tarquini, sporting director of Genesis Magma Racing, said, “The excellent qualifying performance at the 6 Hours of Monza and the first two hours of the race allowed us to see the potential of the GMR-001 Hypercar, but overall it was a weekend of mixed fortunes. We will address the areas for improvement identified in recent races and return stronger for the 2027 season.”
Pipo Derani, driver of No. 17, said, “It’s disappointing that we lost a lot of pace late in the race because of a powertrain issue, but we gathered a lot of data as we continued to improve throughout the season. The Genesis Magma Racing team will continue to grow and return stronger in 2027.”
Building on the data gathered and driver experience gained this year, the GMR team will improve the car’s performance and operational execution, and will compete in the WEC next year with the same driver lineup, contesting a total of nine races. GENESIS has promoted motorsports to domestic customers through events including the Busan Mobility Show, a special exhibition and live festivals, and continues to nurture drivers through the launch of an esports team and its “Trajectory Program.”
[email protected] Kim Dong-chan Reporter