You can't be full from the first bowl of rice. It's true. However, there are times when that first bowl means more than just being full. This is the case when a beautiful and bold challenge arises despite obstacles.
Genesis participated in the world's most prestigious endurance race, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Although the result was not satisfactory, they had to stop driving just 14 hours after the start due to an issue with the right rear wheel, making it impossible for them to continue.
Genesis set a milestone of 'bold challenge' on the global motorsports stage. They took on the challenge at the world's most prestigious endurance race, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The 24 Hours of Le Mans is considered one of the three major motorsport events in the world, alongside the Indianapolis 500 and the Formula One (F1) Monaco Grand Prix.
The official name of the racing team is 'Genesis Magma Racing'. They participated in the 'LMP2 (Le Mans Prototype 2) class' of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, held on the 14th and 15th of June in local time in the Le Mans region of France. This class is not the main one. The main stage is the 'Hypercar class', and the LMP2 serves as a preliminary stage to qualify for this main event.
The 24 Hours of Le Mans, which began in 1923, boasts a long history and status, being called 'the origin of endurance racing,' and is a dream stage for many brands and drivers who aspire to participate.
Since being incorporated into the World Endurance Championship (WEC) governed by the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) in 2012, the 24 Hours of Le Mans has been considered the most critical round of the WEC. Winning a single event at the 24 Hours of Le Mans is regarded as equivalent to overall victory in the WEC.
During the 24 Hours of Le Mans, three drivers take turns driving the same vehicle continuously around the 13.626 km Circuit de la Sarthe for 24 hours. The team that completes the most laps around the circuit at the finish wins. To achieve a top performance, teams need not only excellent driving performance but also a vehicle with strong durability to withstand 24 hours, superb skills from three drivers, and a comprehensive operational strategy and teamwork.
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is divided into the top-tier 'Hypercar' class, the 'LMP2 (Le Mans Prototype 2)' class, where prototype vehicles compete with standardized chassis and engines to minimize mechanical differences, and the 'LMGT3 (Le Mans Grand Touring 3)' class, featuring various high-performance sports cars based on production vehicles.
In this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans, Genesis Magma Racing participated in the LMP2 class through collaboration with their operational partner, IDEC Sport.
The three drivers included André Lotterer, who has three wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, along with Jamie Chadwick, who won the LMP2 class opening round of the European Le Mans Series in April, and Mathys Jaubert, who secured an overall victory in the '4 Hours of Le Castellet' race held in May.
Through this competition, Genesis plans to accumulate endurance racing operational know-how and technical data to elevate the skills of the drivers and lay the groundwork for their debut in the WEC Hypercar class next year.
Genesis reveals motorsport roadmap... Accelerating expansion
Genesis announced that they will continue bold challenges by unveiling their motorsport roadmap at the Manufacturer Village booth at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Genesis announced that they successfully completed durability bench tests for a new racing-specific powertrain based on a 3.2L twin-turbo engine to be installed in the 'GMR-001 Hypercar'.
The GMR-001 Hypercar is a model that demonstrates Genesis's future direction toward 'high-performance luxury' through a combination of high-performance technology and aesthetic identity. The GMR-001 Hypercar is set to be produced in accordance with the LMDh (Le Mans Daytona hybrid) specifications, and Genesis plans to officially debut in the WEC Hypercar class with the GMR-001 Hypercar next year and enter the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (WTSCC) governed by the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) the following year.
Genesis plans to manufacture two initial test vehicles equipped with a new racing-specific powertrain in France and start track testing in the second half of this year.
Genesis unveiled three new core executives to promote the development of the racing team. Anouck Abadie, who has experience in FIA and GT endurance races, will serve as the team's manager; Justin Taylor, with a background in hypercars and LMDh, will be the chief engineer; and Gabriele Tarquini, a former World Touring Car Cup champion, will take on the role of sports director.
Genesis Magma Racing, along with the newly recruited trio and Cyril Abiteboul, head of Hyundai Motorsport and director of Genesis Magma Racing, and François-Xavier Demaison, technical director of Genesis Magma Racing, will begin serious preparations for their debut in the WEC Hypercar class next year. They will enter a real competition structure starting with track tests planned for the second half of this year.
Cyril Abiteboul, head of Hyundai Motorsport and director of Genesis Magma Racing, noted, "With the establishment of Genesis Magma Racing, Hyundai Motorsport is in the process of evolving into a genuine motorsports specialist organization. We plan to strengthen cooperation with the Genesis European division through the transfer of the corporate headquarters and major technical centers, and we will establish a dedicated base for Genesis Magma Racing for vehicle development and maintenance near the Oreca headquarters, a key parts supplier, in the Le Castellet region of France to pursue synergies."
"A new leap in a decade-long journey"... Operation of the on-site exhibition booth at the 24 Hours of Le Mans
Genesis established a 200m2 (approximately 60.5 pyeong) booth in the Manufacturer Village at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, showcasing vibrant exhibits connecting the brand's past and future.
In particular, the physical design model of the GMR-001 Hypercar, publicly unveiled in Europe for the first time, captured attention with its Genesis Magma Racing-exclusive livery design that geometrically expresses the Korean sentiment inspired by the initial sound of the Korean word 'magma'. The livery refers to the stickers and paint finishes that cover a racing car's exterior, predominantly using the team's unique colors and logos.
Genesis also displayed concept models representing the magma program, such as the X Grand Berlina concept and the GV60 Magma concept, and erected a 'Brand History Wall' to present Genesis's journey over the past decade focused on technology and design.
This year's crown at the 24 Hours of Le Mans belonged to Ferrari, which participated as part of the AF Corse official team. Second place went to Porsche, teaming up with the prestigious American motorsports team Penske, while another Ferrari team secured third place.
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