24h Le Mans
Genesis Magma Racing achieved a feat at the 24 Hours of Le Mans by finishing one of the world’s most gruelling motorsport races. Not only did one of their Hypercars reach the chequered flag, the team was among the leaders for several hours, amassing precious data for the pursuit of the South Korean manufacturer’s campaign.
This début was more than an appearance, it was a declaration of intent. As the first South Korean car manufacturer to take part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the first to reach the finish, Genesis has already made its mark, and attracted attention in the pit lane.
Genesis Magma Racing came to Le Mans with all the humility that is de rigeur when joining a field seasoned competitors, ready to learn, and also with the intention of racing towards their destiny. The GMR-001-Hypercar. had completed only three races before Le Mans. Yet from the beginning of the week, both cars showed that they hadn’t come to be bystanders. They claimed P6 and P9 on the starting grid, confirming the potential that many had already sensed was there.
Motivated by a competitive spirit, Genesis Magma Racing could have been tempted to aim for the top straightaway. Instead, they opted for patience. Mastery. Rather than a quick win, they set out to build consistency and operational efficiency, proving that the two GMR-001-Hypercars could keep pace with the top teams on the grid.
Impeccable pit stops and intelligent neutralisation management helped move them through the ranks. A strategic choice to keep both cars out during a safety car period took them to the same lap as the leader, not far from the front-runners.
During the night, when the race often reveals its true nature, excellent performance from Mathieu Jaminet in the #19 and Mathys Jaubert in the #17 demonstrated a project well on the way to maturity. Genesis Magma Racing were even among the front-runners for several hours. Jaminet was in fourth place, confirming the car’s speed.
Around 04:00, the #19 suffered a technical issue requiring a restart on track between Mulsanne Corner and Indianapolis. The same worry reappeared moments later, dashing hopes of featuring high in the classification. As for the #17, a suspension issue ended its début 24 Hours of Le Mans after 16 hours of racing.
Many newcomers would have been discouraged. Not Genesis Magma Racing. On the contrary, the team demonstrated the resilience required to excel in endurance racing. The team focused all their efforts on getting the #19 to the chequered flag.
After 372 laps, Paul-Loup Chatin, Mathieu Jaminet and Dani Juncadella achieved 13th place in the overall classification. The result is the culmination of hours of development, testing and teamwork.
“It's definitely been a roller coaster for us, but that's what you expect in your first 24 Hours, as a new team, a new car. Obviously, I think we showed better pace than maybe we expected. For sure we had a couple of issues, but we fought back. [...] No one ever gave up. We just made history. The first ever Korean brand to make it to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the first one for Genesis,” said Mathieu Jaminet after the race.
Finishing a 24-hour race is a victory in itself. Genesis Magma Racing’s foundational Le Mans garnered the data and experience the team needs to continue developing the GMR-001-Hypercar.
Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul’s appraisal reveals the spirit of the project: “Our first 24 Hours of Le Mans with Genesis Magma Racing ends on a positive note. Getting one car to the finish was our main objective. [...] The #17 unfortunately retired with suspension failure. We faced a number of reliability challenges which will be our priority moving forward. Despite this, the car showed strong potential throughout the week, especially during the first half of the race, where we were consistently fighting inside the top 10. While we faced challenges, the team showed great resilience, composure and teamwork.”
In an exacting class, where every detail is important, and faced with experienced world-class oponents, Genesis Magma Racing have proved they are quick to learn. André Lotterer, three-time winner of the French 24-hour marathon and one of the project’s lynchpins: “We definitely showed the world who Genesis is. I think we surprised a few people and achieved more than we could hope for with our new team, new car, new brand, everything. But our engine lasted, everything around it lasted until that point and we didn't have any big problems during the race which was quite remarkable. We need to study and come back stronger, but I think for our first Le Mans appearance it was very positive, especially with the sister car reaching the finish to complete the weekend.”
The 24 Hours of Le Mans has a habit of revealing a team’s character. Over ten days, Genesis Magma Racing have seen just how all-encompassing this event is, and sampled its joys, frustrations and demands. Above all, the fledgling team have demonstrated the ability to turn setbacks into savvy.
Chapter one in the history of Genesis at Le Mans is complete. The rest of the story already looks promising.
