Genesis announced on June 12 that it will participate for the first time in the hypercar class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, taking place at the Circuit de la Sarthe in France from June 13 to 14 (local time).
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the premier endurance race organized by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and is a key round of the World Endurance Championship (WEC). Established in 1923, it boasts over a century of history as the most prestigious endurance race in the world.
The winner is determined by the team that covers the longest distance on a track measuring approximately 14 kilometers over 24 hours. The race tests the durability of the cars and the stamina and focus of the drivers, making completion a significant achievement.
Genesis's dedicated motorsports team, Genesis Magma Racing, aims to set a new milestone in Korean motorsports history with this participation while proving the brand's competitiveness in the global market.
Jose Munoz, President of Hyundai Motor Company, stated, "Genesis has grown the fastest among luxury automotive brands, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans is an important stage to validate performance in extreme conditions. The experiences gained from the race will be reflected in the development of Magma performance vehicles and overall business operations."
He added, "The process of the team collaborating closely and finding creative solutions amid various variables over 24 hours aligns with Genesis's direction to provide the best vehicles, technology, and customer experiences, even in uncertainty."
Genesis Magma Racing, participating in the WEC for the first time this year, has already demonstrated competitive capabilities beyond expectations in its debut season.
Last month, the team secured points at the WEC's second round, the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, quickly proving its stable driving and operational capabilities. Building on this experience, the team plans to complete the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Executive Vice President Lee Si-hyuk of Genesis said, "The 24 Hours of Le Mans is a stage where a Korean brand challenges for the first time and an important starting point for Genesis to validate new possibilities in global motorsports. Through this testing ground for technological innovation, we aim to accumulate experiences and data that are difficult to obtain in the typical vehicle development process, which we will later expand into high-performance production models."
Previously, Genesis Magma Racing unveiled the special livery to be applied to its two GMR-001 hypercars participating in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The livery features a gradient from magma orange at the front to deep red at the rear, inspired by magma. This gradient visually expresses the speed and strong energy of a high-performance race car.
The sides of the vehicle feature Hangul lettering for "Magma," and the design contrasts red and magma orange to clearly showcase the color changes from front to rear.
At the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 'Magma GT Concept' interior design and 'Magma GT3 Concept' were also revealed. Luke Donkerwolke, Chief Creative Officer, explained, "The Magma GT Concept and Magma GT3 Concept showcase Genesis's performance direction in different domains. While the Magma GT Concept embodies luxury and dynamism on the road, the Magma GT3 Concept maximizes performance, efficiency, and purpose for the racing environment."
During the driver parade in Le Mans, two concept models evolved from the previously unveiled 'Genesis X Gran Convertible Concept' were showcased.
These models are characterized by a more intense evolution of the existing concept, based on an architecture study of the G90, enhanced with magma design elements.
Each reintroduced Genesis X Gran Convertible Concept presents the brand's sensibility, where the energy of racing coexists with refined luxury through materials, colors, and spatial arrangements.
Notably, Genesis brand ambassador and racing advisor Jackie Ickx and reserve driver Jamie Chadwick drove the vehicles during the parade.
Meanwhile, Genesis is accelerating its global growth strategy and strengthening its brand presence by expanding its sales base in Europe alongside its motorsports activities. Following its presence in the UK, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, France, the Netherlands, and Spain, the company plans to enter Poland, Austria, Portugal, and Denmark next year, establishing sales bases in 11 European countries.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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