Genesis' First Le Mans Race Didn't Go as Planned-But It Proved Something Bigger

The 24 Hours of Le Mans is widely considered the toughest race in motorsports-a relentless test of speed, reliability, strategy, and endurance. This year, it also became the proving ground for Genesis Magma Racing, the luxury automaker's brand-new factory team.

Just 18 months after announcing its entry into the FIA World Endurance Championship, Genesis arrived at Le Mans with two GMR-001 Hypercars, a roster of accomplished drivers, and a goal that sounded simple but was anything but: survive 24 hours and reach the finish line. I traveled to France to watch the legendary race for the first time and see firsthand how the ambitious newcomer would fare against some of the biggest names in motorsport.

What followed was a weekend of strong qualifying performances, overnight drama, mechanical setbacks, and a hard-earned finish that revealed both the challenges and potential of Genesis' growing racing program.

Inside Magma Racing's First 24-Hour Race

A screaming motor and the rapid downshifts of a race car ripping into a turn are among my favorite things in life. But never before this moment had it occurred to me that this sonorous joy could serve a utility, masking noisy slurps from a 2 a.m. cup of kimchi ramen. A failure of imagination, perhaps. Yet here I sit ready for an all nighter, paper container of noodle soup in hand, soaking in the scene at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. As racers pinball over a pair of chicanes before a quick left right sequence of turns and into the main straight, a few fellow late night spectators have taken seats not far away, and French ramen etiquette is entirely foreign to me. So I'm glad to have a constant volley of V-8 howls giving cover to my snack.

I've come to the Circuit de Sarthe for a couple of reasons. First, to spectate the legendary race in person for the first time, the whole way through, checking off the chief item on my bucket list. Second, to witness Genesis's foray into motorsport with a FIA World Endurance Championship race team.

It may seem like longer, but the brand is barely 11 years old. I've reviewed most of their models since the original G90 sedan…. I had qualms with the navigation interface (it was not idiot proof and I am an idiot), but thought it was mostly a fantastic car. Since then, the rise of Genesis has been near meteoric-they now offer seven models in numerous powertrains, EV and ICE with hybrids on the way.

The brand sold a record 82,331 vehicles in the USA in 2025 (a 10 percent year-over-year growth, marking five consecutive years of increasing sales), and delivered more than 1.5 million vehicles worldwide since launch. Genesis just opened their first dealerships in Italy, France, and the Netherlands-next up, Spain, Austria, Denmark, Poland, and Portugal. So it's a bit like discovering an indie band's first album and watching them grow and evolve into arena headliners. It's a company with seemingly insatiable ambition and the corporate backing to achieve it, but endurance racing was definitely not on my bingo card.

Why Genesis Decided to Enter the 24 Hours of Le Mans

So when, a scant 18 months ago, they announced the creation of Genesis Magma Racing with a 2026 debut in the FIA World Endurance Championship Hypercar class, my jaw skidded off the tarmac. After all, the brand doesn't even have a sports car in their official lineup at the moment beyond the 2027 GV60 Magma, which is both a CUV and not yet available. (The brand used Le Mans as a platform to drop two stunning, potential speed demons-the Magma GT and GT3 concepts, which very well may end up in production. Fingers crossed!)

Of course, motorsport confers prestige on an automaker, and competing at Le Mans is one of the most iconic automotive contests in the world. Race well there and you can capture customers' attention and desire. In other words, it's a massive marketing investment.

But according to José Muñoz, an engineer by training and president–CEO of Hyundai Motor Company (Genesis's corporate parent), there are other reasons for the brand to take up endurance racing. "We don't do this just simply to have a good time," Muñoz says with an eye toward creating better cars with stronger appeal. "This is a lot of resources. But basically, it allows us to understand the technology, the trends, and then the direction."

He also sees a parallel with endurance racing and their overarching automotive business. "In a 24-hour race where anything can happen, the team needs to be seamless in how we support each other and find creative solutions to win," he says. "It's a perfect analogy for how we're managing uncertainty and focused on delivering exceptional vehicles, technology and service for our customers."

Still there's another rationale for Genesis to take the track. Part of the brand's ethos is built on its proud Korean heritage. Sihyeok Lee, senior vice president and global head of Genesis says competing as the first South Korean manufacturer at Le Mans is a moment to be incredibly proud of. "It shows progress not just for Genesis, but for Korea's place in global Motorsport," he says. "And shows our belief that innovation, performance and cultural identity can come together to create something meaningful."

Inside the Genesis GMR-001 Hypercar

So with the pedal to the metal, the squad, led by Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul, developed and built a pair of GMR-001 Hypercars. The unique design by Genesis is built around a carbon fibre monocoque with input from the team's chassis partner ORECA. The composition's elegant lines incorporate the brand's signature two-line headlamps, a hallmark from their road cars. The lights, however, have been amped up with additional lumens for night racing conditions.

Inside, the track monsters are powered by a Genesis G8MR 3.2l Turbo V8, which in essence are a pair of coupled Hyundai Motorsport in-line 4-cylinder engines from their FIA World Rally Championship racers. The car also uses a rear-mounted 50 kW hybrid motor to produce a total of 680 horsepower.

Of course GMR had to find drivers for the quest and hired Mathieu Jaminet, Paul-Loup Chatin as well as Daniel Juncadella to pilot the No. 19 GMR-001, while André Lotterer, Luis Felipe "Pipo" Derani, and Mathys Jaubert were offered seats on the No. 17 race machine.

For the twin GMR-001's debut as the first machines from a South Korean manufacturer to compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Genesis created a special livery in the team's signature Magma Orange with a red gradient flourish.

How Genesis Magma Racing Prepared for Its Le Mans Debut

Building a race car and a team is an arduous undertaking on any timeline. Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul says pragmatism was clutch in getting everything track-ready in a year and a half. The team also set modest objectives going into Le Mans. "We have to be realistic with what we expect, even after a good start to the WEC season," Abiteboul said before the race began. The team set the dual goals of getting both its cars be classified finishers, which means completing 70 percent of the final total race distance-as well as having the pair running at the end of the competition.

Over the first two races preceding Le Mans, the GMR squad showed solid progression. Both of the team's cars finished in the bottom three in the season opener 6 Hours of Imola. In Belgium, GMR improved and secured points with an eighth place finish (as well as a 13th) at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, proving their capability and the potential to compete.

Ahead of their first 24-hour competition GMR put themselves to an endurance test at the team's base in Le Castellet, France, and the Circuit Paul Ricard to give each of the team's drivers more time at the wheel of the GMR-001 Hypercar. From that experience and along with the other sessions the team spotted flaws in both their technical and operational systems and made some changes, large and small. The adjustments helped their race at Le Mans. Both cars qualified in the top 10 for the event. Paul-Loup Chatin and André Lotterer placed the cars seventh and 10th in the final session and their starting positions improved to sixth and ninth after one of the Cadillacs failed to comply with the pit lane starting procedure and received a penalty.

What Happened During Genesis' First 24 Hours of Le Mans

At 4 p.m. the next day, it was go time. When the lights went green, neither Genesis car got off to the best start. But quickly both cars found their groove and went to work on maintaining efficiency and reliability to reach the finish line…and maybe some constructors' points in the championship.

The team kept at it through the wee hours of the morning. Both Mathieu Jaminet in the No. 19 and Mathys Jaubert in the No. 17 completed quadruple stints. Jaminet managed to improve his car's track position to as high as fourth at times.

As lap fell to lap, under the starless, late-night sky, I was working on my own Le Mans goal -to watch the whole damn thing. There's an automotive Ring Cycle happening right in front of me performed in a fusion of steel, carbon fiber, and rubber, harmonized to engine song. Why would I miss that?

But no amount of spicy broth or number of espressos could quite stop what was coming. The jet lag running in tandem with a full day on my feet and tens of thousands of steps later had me fading. Je suis fatigué. With every bite the steel chopsticks and my sun-kissed eyelids got a little bit heavier. I told myself to suck it up. But eventually…zzzzzzzzzzz.

I woke up to news that sometime around 4 a.m. Chatin in the No. 19 car had to stop on track in order to execute a power cycle before he could get back to the race. The issue resurfaced, dashing any hopes of a top 10. Not long after the No. 17 car experienced a catastrophic suspension failure with Jaubert at the wheel, and was forced to retire.

What Genesis Learned From Its First Le Mans Race

With a bit of luck and a ton of teamwork, GMR managed to get the limping No. 19 car across the finish line in 13th place and four laps behind the winning Toyota entry piloted by Kamui Kobayashi, Nyck de Vries, and Mike Conway. That result may have been half of what the team wanted before the race started but still certainly could have been worse.

Abiteboul found a meaningful silver lining in the finish. "We faced a number of reliability challenges which will be our priority moving forward," he says. "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."

Jaminet labeled the team's first outing at Le Mans a rollercoaster. "But that's what you expect in your first 24 Hours, as a new team, a new car," the driver said. "But 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."

What's Next for Genesis MAGMA Racing?

Less than a month from now, the WEC moves on to Brazil and the Rolex Six Hours of São Paulo. The GMR team will arrive with more experience under their helmets and better performance data in hand. Sadly, I'll be watching on a laptop from afar in Italy to see if they can muster a better race and finish. I'm pretty sure I won't have much trouble going the distance, but the ramen is already packed.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 26, 2026, where it first appeared in the Gear section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published June 25, 2026 at 8:03 PM.