- Genesis is creating an LMDh race automotive
- Genesis will energy the LMDh with a V-8 shaped from two Hyundai World Rally Championship four-cylinder engines
- Genesis plans an assault on each the FIA World Endurance Championship and the IMSA SportsCar Championship
Genesis introduced final December plans to enter the highest stage of endurance racing with a brand new manufacturing unit group and race automotive.
On Friday, the automaker supplied an replace, confirming that the race automotive, named the GMR-001, will likely be unveiled in April forward of the beginning of testing in August.
The automotive will likely be fielded by Genesis Magma Racing, led by group principal Cyril Abiteboul, the previous managing director of the Renault Formulation 1 group. It’s set to compete within the FIA World Endurance Championship as early as 2026, with plans to enter the IMSA SportsCar Championship the next 12 months. Its participation within the FIA sequence means it’s going to compete for the general victory on the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Competing on the prime stage of those sequence requires participation within the respective Hypercar and GTP courses, which implies constructing a race automotive to both LMDh or LMH rules. Genesis has opted for the LMDh rule set, which simplifies improvement by using chassis and hybrid programs from sanctioned suppliers. For the GMR-001, Genesis has chosen a chassis from Oreca—the identical provider utilized by Acura and Alpine.
Cyril Abiteboul
Producers should provide their very own engines, and Genesis is creating a brand new V-8 for the GMR-001. To speed up the method, the automaker is utilizing a confirmed 1.6-liter turbo-4 from sister model Hyundai’s profitable World Rally Championship vehicles and mixing two of them to create the V-8. Abiteboul, who has additionally led Hyundai’s motorsports division since 2023, is overseeing the challenge.
The primary confirmed drivers for Genesis Magma Racing are Le Mans winner and reigning World Endurance Drivers’ Champion André Lotterer, alongside Pipo Derani. Each will help within the GMR-001’s improvement by 2025 and past, working alongside six-time Le Mans winner Jacky Ickx, who joined Genesis as a model ambassador in February.
For added drivers, Genesis has partnered with French racing group IDEC Sport to ascertain a driver improvement program. This system begins this 12 months with an LMP2 entry within the European Le Mans Sequence. Initially, America’s Logan Sargeant, who was dropped from the Williams F1 group final 12 months, was set to be one of many first drivers in this system, alongside Jamie Chadwick and Mathys Jaubert. Nonetheless, Sargeant withdrew from this system final month.
