Hyundai’s Genesis luxury brand has launched its Magma Racing motorsport program, ahead of a competitive debut in 2025.
Genesis Magma Racing will compete in LMDh (Le Mans Daytona hybrid) class of the World Endurance Championship (WEC) from 2026, before expanding into the North American IMSA endurance series in 2027.
At the centre of the Korean brand’s motorsport entry is the Genesis GMR-001 Hypercar, unveiled as a prototype which will inspire the LMDh racer taking on Aston Martin, Porsche, Toyota, Cadillac, BMW, Alpine, Ferrari, Peugeot, and Porsche in WEC.
The GMR-001 is characterised by slim horizontal lighting strips that wrap around the bodywork, a sweeping parabolic side profile, and a carved out rear section framed by an active raised spoiler.
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Experienced endurance racers André Lotterer (who has won two WEC titles and three 24 Hours of Le Mans) and Luis ‘Pipo’ Derani (two-time IMSA champion) are the first confirmed drivers who’ll feature behind the wheel of the GMR-001 in its debut WEC season.
Magma Racing will be supported by Hyundai Motorsport, the body responsible for managing the global race and rally activities for Hyundai Motor Group. Hyundai Motorsport President Cyril Abiteboul (former Renault F1 Team managing director) will serve as team principal for Genesis Magma Racing.
Hyundai is already well established at the top echelon of global motorsport, having recently won titles in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) and TCR World Tour.
The carmaker is headquartered in South Korea, but Genesis Magma Racing will base itself at Circuit Paul Ricard in the south of France.
In preparation for its inaugural WEC season, the team will compete in the LMP2 category of the 2025 European Le Mans Series (ELMS).
As part of the Magma Racing launch event in Dubai, Genesis showed off the various road-going concepts that it first unveiled back in March – the GV80 Coupe Concept, G80 EV Magma Concept, GV60 Magma Concept, X Gran Berlinetta Concept, and the X Gran Racer VGT Concept.
The Magma brand has been positioned as a Genesis performance arm to rival the likes of BMW’s M division, Mercedes-AMG, and Audi RS.
Hyundai already has its own N performance brand, which goes head-to-head with Toyota Gazoo Racing.
The first Magma vehicle locked in for production is the Genesis GV60 Magma , which takes the brand’s existing electric SUV and transforms it into a low-slung performance car.
Genesis could utilise the dual electric motor setup found in the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N for its first Magma model, as both cars based on the same EV platform.
A local launch of the Magma performance sub-brand still hasn’t been locked in for Australia, though Genesis Australia CEO Justin Douglass said he’s keen to see them on local roads.
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