Genesis Magma Racing completed its debut "24 Hours of Le Mans" marathon, and the final result was much more significant than the dry numbers in the protocol. Despite finishing only in 13th position, for the new Hyundai project, this became one of the most notable achievements of the season in the World Endurance Championship (WEC).
Car No. 19, driven by Paul-Loup Chatin, Mathieu Jaminet, and Dani Juncadella, reached the finish line in 13th place. The second Genesis crew, driving car No. 17, retired after 16 hours of racing due to suspension problems.
At first glance, the result seems modest. However, just a year and a half ago, the Genesis Magma Racing team simply did not exist.
The decision to create a factory racing program for Genesis was made only at the end of 2024. The brand had no infrastructure, no engineering center for endurance racing, no drivers, or staff. Nevertheless, in 2026, the team entered the start of the most challenging race on the planet in the Hypercar class, where its rivals included Ferrari, Toyota, Cadillac, BMW, Aston Martin, Peugeot, and Alpine.
The pace of the newcomers was particularly impressive. In qualifying, Genesis managed to break into Hyperpole, and the crews started ahead of all three Ferraris and both factory Peugeot teams. During the first half of the race, car No. 19 consistently stayed in the top ten of the overall standings.
Team principal Cyril Abiteboul admitted that reliability remains the project's main weakness. However, he called the team's ability to maintain focus and respond promptly to problems the main outcome of their debut Le Mans.
The legendary six-time marathon winner Jacky Ickx, who serves as an advisor to Genesis, compared the creation of the team to forming a symphony orchestra. According to him, it is not enough to gather talented engineers – it is necessary to make them work as a single unit.
That is why Genesis considers the current result a success. In 18 months, the brand has gone from the idea of participating in races to finishing the "24 Hours of Le Mans." For a young brand, founded less than 11 years ago, this achievement may be more important than its final position in the protocol.
Earlier, motoram.ru reported that the company unveiled an updated version of its Magma GT concept.