It’s becoming something of a trend in sportscar racing of late: A new brand debuts in WEC or IMSA, and spends the first year trying to save face as they trundle round the back. It happened to Peugeot, it happened to Aston Martin, then to Lamborghini. I’ve a sneaky feeling Genesis could buck that trend though, because while the team and brand itself a new to WEC, there’s plenty of experienced CV’s among its staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First off: the drivers. There’s a refreshing mix of youth and experience, split across the two cars. In the #17 car is two-time IMSA champion Pipo Derani and thrice Le Mans winner Andre Lotterer, with one of 2025’s breakout stars in Mathys Jaubert completing the crew. Certainly, he’s in a great position to learn a lot in his first year in Hypercar after an incredibly competitive debut LMP2 season last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The #19 is the one I’m really excited to see though. Dani Juncadella has spent the majority of his career being one of the steadiest pair of hands in the GT business, so his promotion to Hypercar is both deserved and an intriguing prospect as he adds another series to his belt. Previously a race-winner with TF Sport’s Corvette LMGT3 operation, he’ll be one to watch this year. Genesis didn’t stop their extensive shop in the driver market there, because in come to more proven prototype veterans. Mathieu Jaminet spent three years with Porsche Penske motorsport, and captured an IMSA driver’s title last year for Stuttgart. Now he’s been courted successfully by Genesis, and it makes for more than a shrewd signing. And finally from the Alpine staple – unwittingly jumping ship at perhaps the perfect time – Paul-Loup Chatin, who has ties to Genesis service provider IDEC Sport dating back to 2017. With a plethora of prototype experience including the marque’s only win with the A424 at Fuji last year, it’s another sign that Genesis are clued up on what they need to do this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There’s plenty of experience in other departments, too. Team Manager Cyril Abiteboul is most notable for his running of Renault’s most recent F1 endevour and Genesis’s parent brand Hyundai’s WRC assault that claimed the driver’s title last year. But if you want perhaps the biggest proof of Genesis’s credibility, take note that Luc Doncherwolke designed the GMR-001’s exterior. He’s the man partially responsible for the Audi R8 that dominated Le Mans for nearly a decade, plus the Lamborghini Murcielago – a personal faveourite of mine – and the Gallardo. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And just by looking at the GMR-001 itself you can tell Doncherwolke has taken notes: It feels almost like a greatest hits compilation of the rest of the grid, with the front aero giving a resemblance to that of Acura and Alpine’s own, the rear wing clearly inspired by Ferrari and the wheel arches which feel very Porsche. The noise itself is something we haven’t heard in a long time – it’s lovely to have another engine configuration on the grid, and the 3.2L twin-turbo V8 is a truly aggressive screaming thing of beauty, yet another wonderful tone to add to Hypercar’s concerto. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, an experienced team all round on paper, and while endurance runs have proved successful so far, that doesn’t mean much in terms of true on track pace. We’ll have to wait a week or so to find out how it truly stacks up to the competition, but I’m willing to bet they’ll be up to speed before long. Hyundai are here, and they’re going to make themselves known in 2026. <\/p>\n\n\n\n