Provided by Genesis

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Genesis announced on April 29 that its racing team, Genesis Magma Racing, successfully achieved its first goal of completing the race in its debut at the top-tier Hypercar class of the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season opener, the "Imola 6 Hours."

Screenshot of the WEC homepage.

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The WEC is a race that focuses on endurance, running continuously for 6, 8, or even 24 hours. During the race, which can last up to 24 hours, WEC race cars must withstand tremendous stress, including high-revving engines, glowing-hot brakes from repeated deceleration, and the intense thermal management demands of hybrid system motors and batteries.

Genesis Magma Racing Team. Genesis

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In particular, each car requires a team of three drivers, meaning a total of six drivers were needed for the event. Drivers must maintain their position under variable conditions such as long driving stints, changing weather, and tire wear. Genesis Magma Racing fielded a diverse lineup of experienced and rookie drivers for its debut, including Andre Lotterer, Pipo Derani, Daniel Juncadella, Mathis Jobeur, Mathieu Jaminet, and Paul-Loup Chatin.

Genesis Magma Racing Team. Genesis

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In the middle of the race, Andre Lotterer, driving the #17 car, climbed to 11th place just before pitting. After handing over the wheel to Mathis Jobeur, he made a clean overtake on the Aston Martin (#009). The third driver, Pipo Derani, then took over and pushed the car up to 9th place at one point, showcasing the team's competitiveness.

During the race, Ferrari driver Nicklas Nielsen, who was chasing Mathis Jobeur, expressed his astonishment over the team radio, saying, "I can't understand why that car is faster than us in the corners." This moment became a symbol of the remarkable performance delivered by the Genesis Magma Racing Team that day.

2026 April WEC Race Results. Screenshot from the WEC official website.

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At the end of the 6-hour race, the #17 car completed 211 laps of the 4.909 km Imola circuit at an average speed of 177.97 km/h, finishing 15th, while the #19 car completed 189 laps at an average speed of 176.23 km/h, finishing 17th. The best lap time for the #17 car (1:33.090) was only 0.6 seconds behind the winning Toyota Racing Hypercar (#8), which set a best lap time of 1:32.490, despite Genesis Magma Racing's stable pace aimed at completing the race.

Earlier, in the qualifying race, the #19 car recorded a lap time of 1:31.258, just 0.26 seconds behind the next fastest car (#93, 1:30.995) and 1.17 seconds behind the fastest car (#50, 1:30.088), highlighting Genesis Magma Racing's potential.

Genesis Magma Racing Car. Screenshot from the World Endurance Championship (WEC) official website.

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Jacky Ickx, brand partner and advisor to Genesis Magma Racing, described the new team's race completion as "an amazing achievement."

Cyril Abiteboul, Head of Hyundai Motorsport and Team Principal of Genesis Magma Racing, stated that, as a new entrant, the team prioritized reliability and execution over absolute results. He expressed his satisfaction, saying, "The most important thing we've learned this weekend is just how solid our foundation and potential are."

Genesis homepage capture.

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Genesis Magma Racing is scheduled to compete in the season's second race, the "Spa-Francorchamps 6 Hours," to be held in Belgium next month.

Meanwhile, despite the race running from late at night into the early morning in Korea, local fans tuned in to Genesis Magma Racing's onboard live video channels to watch the race and left supportive messages in the live chat. The combined peak concurrent viewership for the #17 and #19 onboard channels reached 5,000, and as of April 28, the #19 car's onboard video had accumulated 120,000 views and over 200 comments, reflecting the enthusiastic support for Genesis Magma Racing.