Latest news with #CyrilAbiteboul
Forbes
17-06-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
2026 Set To Be Huge Year For Genesis On And Off The Track
Although Genesis Magma Racing's 24 Hours of Le Mans collaboration with IDEC Sport in the LMP2 class ended early with a lost wheel after nearly 14 hours, the racing weekend was an exciting insight into this young brand's future. Established as the motorsport division of Genesis, part of the Hyundai Group, Genesis Magma Racing will take on the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2026 in the coveted hypercar class with its own team. With the GMR-001 Hypercar in view, Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul announced new appointments to the team's senior leadership roles. Anouck Abadie moves into the role of Team Manager, Justin Taylor is the team's Chief Engineer and Gabriele Tarquini, the touring car champion, is the new Sporting Director. Taylor said: 'Joining Genesis Magma Racing is very exciting for me. Coming onboard in the Chief Engineer role allows me a chance to develop our team and the GMR-001 Hypercar from the ground up, to be ready for the 2026 WEC season and beyond. 'I bring with me a little bit of endurance racing experience, this is my 18th year at Le Mans. My goal is to bring that experience and everything that I've learnt over those 18 attempts here to this project to help us climb the mountain. If I'm honest, my goal is to push myself and my colleagues to see how far we can push this thing if we put our minds to it.' Abiteboul added: 'Anouck, Justin and Gabriele are fantastic additions to the Genesis Magma Racing team. Their experience in motorsport will be essential to the successful operation of the team and car through our testing this year as we prepare to race in the FIA World Endurance Championship next year.' The GMR-001 Hypercar that has been revealed is said to be close to the final race-ready version that's expected to join the track next year. At this stage, Abiteboul explained the car is undergoing endurance dyno testing to fine tune the characteristics of the engine and gearbox. The hypercar features a V8 engine which is a combination of two of the group's 1.6-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engines. To support Genesis Magma Racing's development the team will be located at Le Castellet, France, not far from supplier Oreca's factory. Abiteboul said: 'The expansion of Hyundai Motorsport is essential to create a strong foundation of Genesis Magma Racing. The team is being created from strong parts wherever we find them. A strong chassis from Oreca, an ideal race base location in Le Castellet, experienced people from around motorsport and of course the best of the influences from Korean culture to drive us all forward at hyperspeed.' This year's Le Mans 24 hour race was an opportunity for the team to learn valuable insights to take into next year. The driving team comprises Jamie Chadwick, Mathys Jaubert and André Lotterer. The team has already seen great success in the European Le Mans Series with a LMP2 class win at the season opener in Barcelona and an overall win in Le Castellet. Following the brand's launch in Europe in 2021, five years later, it's ready to expand to new markets. In addition to the UK, Germany, and Switzerland, Genesis plans to launch in France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands with customer deliveries starting in 2026. Customers in these four new markets will be able to purchase three electric models, the GV60, Electrified GV70 and Electrified G80, all of which have recently been updated. 'Our entry into these important markets is a pivotal moment for Genesis. We are moving now to deepen our long-term presence and commitment across Europe. This is the most significant market expansion since we launched in Europe in 2021 and is the start of our next phase of measured, strategic growth, and sporting brand direction' said Xavier Martinet, Managing Director at Genesis Motor Europe. 'Genesis' distinctive electric models have strong European appeal and the demand is growing. With these new markets, and our audacious approach to motorsport, we look forward to introducing new customers to our design-driven performance brand.'
Car and Driver
13-06-2025
- Automotive
- Car and Driver
Genesis Reveals New Details About Its Magma Racing Team at Le Mans
The Genesis Magma Racing team continues to develop its GMR-001 LMDh Hypercar, which just completed a successful dyno test. GMR team principal Cyril Abiteboul also announced a new race base in Le Castellet, France, and introduced important new members to the team. Genesis design chief Luc Donckerwolke revealed that the brand is expanding into new markets: France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain. Genesis is getting closer to its goal of chasing racing championships. During a press conference today ahead of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Genesis Magma Racing team principal Cyril Abiteboul shared an update about the development progress of the GMR-001 Hypercar as well as new details about Hyundai Motorsport's expansion. Hypercar Development Speeds Up The new race car, two of which will compete in the 2026 World Endurance Championship (WEC) as part of the LMDh Hypercar class (a two-car IMSA team will follow in 2027), was first announced last year at an event in Dubai. We also learned that Genesis's Hypercar will feature a turbocharged V-8 engine with a hybrid system. Earlier this year, Genesis gave the world its first look at the GMR-001's orange-themed livery, and the racer is getting closer to reality. This content is imported from Third party. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Genesis Today, Abiteboul announced that the Hypercar has completed a successful dyno test. This is said to be the next step in validating the racing team's decision to employ a V-8 powertrain, which was designed by basically combining two of Genesis's 1.6-liter turbo fours. The latter engine has seen success in Hyundai Motorsports' participation in the WRC (World Rally Championship). Abiteboul also revealed that Hyundai's motorsports division is growing to accommodate the newly created GMR team, with the operation establishing a base in Le Castellet, France. As the team principal explained, this will help with the development testing of its first two Hypercars due to the proximity to Oreca's factory, which supplied the chassis and continues to supply parts for its LMDh race cars. New GMR Team Members, Le Mans Experience Joining Abiteboul's ranks are three new faces that the team principal says will provide valuable experience from their extensive racing backgrounds. Anouck Abadie has been named team manager. Not only does she have a history working with the FIA, the governing body of motorsports, but Abadie has also previously led endurance teams as the manager and sporting director. She is joined by Gabriele Tarquini, who has won multiple Touring Car championships and is GMR's sporting director. Justin Taylor is the team's chief engineer, with experience in both IMSA and WEC. Previously, Taylor was the race engineer for Chip Ganassi's Cadillac racing team and also for Ferrari, whose team placed first overall in the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans. Genesis From left to right: Justin Taylor, Anouck Abadie, and Gabriele Tarquini. "They all have great experience in motorsport, which will be complemented by additional endurance racing expertise of the other team members we will recruit in the coming months," Abiteboul said. "This mix and the management structure we announced today will be at the center of the team through our testing this year with the GMR-001 Hypercar and our race team in the FIA World Endurance Championship next year." While Genesis Magma Racing won't be competing for a Hypercar title in this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans, members of its trajectory team will get valuable experience for the top-dog competition in 2025. This year, GMR's LMP2 entry will be part of the action, with Jamie Chadwick, Mathys Jaubert, and André Lotterer driving the #18 Oreca 07 race car fielded by GMR's partner, IDEC Sport. Genesis Looks to Grow Its Market Share Of course, automakers don't just race for the fun of it. There's a lot of prestige involved, especially for a fledgling luxury brand like Genesis. While the company has made inroads in the U.S. market despite being a decade old, it's continuing to expand its footprint into other regions. During today's press conference, Genesis design chief Luc Donckerwolke also revealed that the brand plans to start selling models in more parts of Europe, including France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain. Genesis If its racing aspirations yield positive results, people around the world might take even better notice of a car company that started as a luxurious Hyundai model and could compete with the likes of Aston Martin, BMW, Cadillac, and Lamborghini. While the results remain to be seen, the road to victory lane is currently being paved. Eric Stafford Managing Editor, News Eric Stafford's automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual '97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a '90 Honda CRX Si. Read full bio This content is imported from Third party. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
Motor Trend
13-06-2025
- Automotive
- Motor Trend
Genesis Magma Racing Unveils 2026 Le Mans Hypercar and European Expansion Plans
Last year, Genesis, the luxury brand from Hyundai, announced its motorsport arrival with Genesis Magma Racing. Ahead of the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans this weekend, GMR revealed its roadmap for its 2026 Le Mans debut in the legendary racing series top hypercar division. Highlighting its ambitious plans, Genesis twin announcements provided updates on its LeMans team and the brand's expansion across key European markets. GMR team principal Cyril Abiteboul announced key milestones in the development of the GMR-001 Hypercar, namely that it will be powered by a newly developed V-8 engine derived from Hyundai's WRC technology. Essentially two of the 1.6-liter inline-four cylinder engines from the Hyundai N world rally team will be fused together to create the GMR-001's V-8. New Race Base in France Along with the engine update, the team also confirmed a new strategic operations base in Le Castellet, France, near racing partner Oreca, for seamless collaboration and vehicle development. 'The team is being created from very strong parts. A strong chassis from Oreca; an ideal Race Base location in Le Castellet; an international, experienced team of people from around motorsport; and, of course, the best of the influences from Korean culture to drive us all forward at Hyperspeed,' said Abiteboul. The team also announced key additions to GMR leadership; Anouck Abadie as team manager, Justin Taylor as chief engineer, and Gabriele Tarquini as sporting director. These seasoned leaders aim to steer the team through the rigorous World Endurance Championship (WEC) by 2026 and the IMSA SportsCar Championship by 2027. Genesis Expands to Four New European Markets Genesis emphasized its European expansion with plans to enter markets in France, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands by 2027. Chief Creative Officer Luc Donckerwolke positioned Genesis Magma Racing as more than a motorsport initiative, describing it as an extension of Genesis's design philosophy and cultural identity. 'Our entry into these important markets is a pivotal moment for Genesis. We are moving now to deepen our long-term presence and commitment across Europe. This is the most significant market expansion since we launched in Europe in 2021 and is the start of our next phase of measured, strategic growth, and sporting brand direction' said Xavier Martinet, managing director of Genesis Motor Europe. 'Our distinctive electric models have strong European appeal and the demand is growing. With these new markets, and our audacious approach to motorsport, we look forward to introducing new customers to our design-driven performance brand.' While Genesis did not share all the models it intends to sell in these new markets, it confirmed the all-electric GV60 compact SUV, and electric GV70 SUV and G80 luxury sedan will be available in the four countries, starting in early 2026. And now it's time to go racing... While Genesis' factory effort in the top class of endurance racing will debut next year, GMR will be represented this year by endurance racing veteran and three-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, André Lotterer, who joins rising stars Jamie Chadwick and Mathys Jaubert in the #18 IDEC LMP2 racecar, which qualified in fourteenth position.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Genesis GMR-001 Le Mans Hypercar's V8 Is Two Turbocharged Rally Car Engines Stuck Together
It's pretty rare to see a genuinely new engine get developed these days even for race cars, especially from smaller automakers that don't have as big of a motorsport presence, so it was shocking when Genesis announced that its upcoming Le Mans Hypercar would be powered by a V8 engine. The Hyundai Motor Group hasn't made a V8 since 2021 when the Tau engine was discontinued, so would the company be coming up with a totally new motor for its GMR-001? Well, not exactly. Genesis Magma Racing team principal Cyril Abiteboul revealed that the LMDh racer's V8 was created by sticking two WRC-derived turbocharged four-cylinder engines together. Hyundai has competed in the World Rally Championship for the past 12 years, winning the manufacturer's trophy in 2019 and 2020, and Abiteboul was team principal since January 2023 and president since January 2024, so the move makes sense. Abiteboul says the decision to fuse the WRC engines together was largely due to timing and so Genesis wouldn't have to design something new from scratch: Anyone who knows about engines will appreciate that we only had six months to develop a complete engine. We elected to go with a V-8, precisely because the V-8 was a great opportunity not to have to redesign a complete engine from scratch and instead take inspiration from our [Hyundai Motor Group's] existing WRC [World Rally Championship] engine, a very competitive 1.6-liter turbocharged inline-four that we've been using for several years. We took that engine and made it two times four in line, which gives us a V-8. Those WRC motors make around 380 horsepower, though without restrictions that figure could surely be boosted up. Current WRC cars are hybrids, all using a spec motor that adds an extra 134 horsepower, but that system won't get carried over in the creation of the V8 as LMDh cars have their own spec hybrid system that uses a 67-hp electric motor. Genesis is also working with famed racing constructor Oreca on the GMR-001's development. Read more: GM Hopes A Clutch Pedal Is Enough To Make Enthusiasts Buy EVs We were in a dearth of cool top-end Le Mans race car designs following Audi's dominating diesel era, but with the LMDh and LMH classes we're finally seeing some wild designs again, and the Genesis might be the best looking one yet. Asked about the relationship between design and performance, Abiteboul said the two go hand-in-hand: One of the most famous French aero designers used to say that a nice airplane flies well, too. And I tend to believe that. Sometimes, technical regulations can induce you to design cars that are not necessarily very nice-looking because they are extremely sophisticated. I keep thinking of Formula One because that's where I spent the largest part of my life. There was a period of time when cars were packed with aerodynamic surfaces: lots of wing legs, shark legs and so on and so forth. But in the end, I believe there is no opposition between aesthetics and functionality. In any case, the car that wins is always the more beautiful one. Abiteboul added that maintaining Genesis' Korean identity is important for the Magma team. That's not just in terms of design (the Magma logo is even a reference to Korean characters), but in how quickly the GMR-001 is coming together. Since its initial debut in Dubai in December Genesis has only shown renderings and a half-scale model of the GMR-001 so far, but the real thing will be unveiled in April before testing begins in August, and it'll be racing in early 2026. "By all standards, we really compressed the timing of what is normally done to an extreme, because we also want to show the speed of Korean culture — or what I'd like to call, Genesis hyperspeed," said Abiteboul. When the GMR-001 hits the track in the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship season, it'll be up against competitors from Acura, Alpine, BMW, Cadillac and Porsche — Lamborghini has canceled its WEC Hypercar entrant, but Ford will be joining in 2027. Genesis will then join the IMSA SportsCar Championship for the 2027 season. The company will be fielding two cars in each. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.
