Latest news with #GMR-001
The Drive
7 days ago
- Automotive
- The Drive
Listen to Genesis' Le Mans Hypercar Roar to Life for the First Time
The latest car news, reviews, and features. Genesis has been busy assembling its racing team ahead of next year's 24 Hours of Le Mans, and this week's announcement celebrates a milestone that the young team will remember forever. The Genesis Magma Racing's GMR-001 Hypercar has officially roared to life for the first time at the team's HQ at the Circuit Paul Ricard in France. According to today's announcement, the first fire-up as a complete race car (engine mounted to the chassis) took place on July 9, under the supervision of chassis supplier Oreca, which is also based in Le Castellet near the team's shop. The first fire-up of the engine alone actually took place back in February. This footage posted to YouTube shows the tension leading up to the car's first firing, which, at least on video, went without a hitch. The GMR-001 will compete in the WEC Hypercar class for the entire 2026 season, which, of course, features the most famous endurance race of all, Le Mans. It's powered by a 3.2-liter, twin-turbo V8 engine, though the brand has not revealed more detailed specs. However, Genesis has not been shy about the shared technology between this engine and the 1.6-litre inline-four found in the i20 N rally car. The first rolling tests for the prototype are expected to take place next month, and sometime after that, hopefully, Genesis will tell us who will round up its driver lineup. The only two pilots confirmed so far are endurance racing veteran Pipo Derani and three-time Le Mans winner Andre Lotterer. Got a tip? Email us at tips@
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
16-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Revealed: Genesis' LMDh Hypercar set to take on Le Mans, WEC in 2026
Motorsport photo We've been privy to the renderings of the Genesis-planned LMDh (Le Mans Daytona hybrid), hypercar competitor coming to WEC and IMSA racing series within the next year or two. But the big reveal of the polished, fiery orange-clad physical competitor for its Genesis Magma Racing effort — the GMR-001 hypercar — happened Wednesday on the US shore at this week's New York International Auto Show. Advertisement Like many of the hypercar manufacturers competing in both series across the pond thus far, you can see where Genesis has pulled design cues from its road cars – noting the recognizable 'two-line' lighting, or the slightly separated stacked 'strips' of headlights like you see on its models – same for the rear 'taillights.' The sweeping curves of the body and panel work were done by Genesis' Design Europe's chief creative officer, Luc Donckerwolke. Genesis Magma Racing GMR-001 Hypercar Genesis Magma Racing GMR-001 Hypercar Genesis Genesis Genesis Magma Racing GMR-001 Hypercar Genesis Magma Racing GMR-001 Hypercar Genesis Genesis Genesis Magma Racing GMR-001 Hypercar Genesis Magma Racing GMR-001 Hypercar Genesis Genesis Underneath and new to note is a flat underbody plate has to support aerodynamic efficiency, with integrated inlets that are meant to help enhance the car's thermal performance. Beyond the bodywork though, the chassis development remains a partnership project between the Korean outfit and ORECA. Advertisement What's not changing as far as we know, as no further information was shared by Genesis at the time of the physical car's reveal is the hypercar's planned V8 underpinnings expected to be paired with the series' spec hybrid system. What we do know is that the V8 is being developed from similar technology used in its inline four-cylinder 1.6-liter turbo engine from the Hyundai i20 N Rally 1. The technical director at Hyundai behind the LMDh engine program told in December that the development from a 1.6-litre inline four to a 3.2-litre in the short time window (about 16 months from inception to track) would be challenging, but the idea of making small adjustments from the four to a V8 would be more time conducive, rather than developing an entire V8 engine from the ground up. Genesis Magma Racing GMR-001 Hypercar Genesis Magma Racing GMR-001 Hypercar Genesis Genesis Advertisement Chances are that there will be some changes in the design and powertrain as development continues on the GMR-001, as expected. Each manufacturer who has participated in LMDh/hypercar programs has experienced similar changes prior to the final form that arrives on track for race day. And the powertrain developments are constant as the team and manufacturers behind the hybrid unit, learn how each works together. In the interim, Genesis Magma Racing is working on gathering real world experience ahead of its WEC debut next year — with an LMP2 entry in the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) championship and the team's Trajectory Program drivers Jamie Chadwick and Mathys Jaubert. It's already experienced success in the opening round of the series — scoring a win for the team's debut race at the 4 Hours of Barcelona. The Genesis Magma Racing will set its pace in the 2026 WEC season with drivers Andre Lotterer and Pipo Derani, with plans to run an additional car in the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship in the States in 2027. Genesis Magma Racing GMR-001 Hypercar Genesis Magma Racing GMR-001 Hypercar Genesis Genesis Read Also: Jamie Chadwick: Everyone is secretly desperate to find the future female superstar WEC reveals BoP tweaks for Imola 6 Hours What are LMH and LMDh? The top Le Mans 24 Hours series explained
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Cyril Abiteboul Is Still Building Genesis Magma Racing, Just Without Logan Sargeant
Genesis Magma Racing is now six months into its 14-month schedule to develop and race a top-class car in the FIA World Endurance Championship. The GMR-001 is still on track to get racing in that tight timeline, but the program has already undergone an unexpected change: Logan Sargeant, the most recent American Formula 1 driver, opted earlier this year to drop out of his plans to join GMR's European Le Mans Series "Trajectory Program" in partnership with LMP2 team IDEC Sport. This leaves Genesis without one of the drivers expected to be in the mix for its first-ever factory driver roster, which has at least four open spots for the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans and other three-driver endurance events. Hyundai Motor Group racing boss and GMR team principal Cyril Abiteboul does not know exactly why Sargeant stepped away from the program — but as he tells Road & Track, he has an idea. "When we met at... the end of last year, and he was keen on doing something after Formula 1, we gave him the opportunity to test with with a team that was, at the time, already going to be our strategic partner for this year," Abiteboul says. "He was immediately quick, focused, and very committed. But come wintertime, things took a turn. "From Christmas," he says, "I guess he realized that he needed probably more time off after Formula 1." Abiteboul, who led a Formula 1 team from most of the 2010s, knows that feeling well. He left Renault's F1 program in 2020, leaving for a Hyundai racing program that at the time competed only in WRC and touring cars. Even as he turns his attention to sports car racing, he still remembers what it was like to leave F1 behind. "You pay a toll after Formula One," Abiteboul says. "I can say it also for myself. So you probably need that time to reflect on things on this side, what he wants to do, to do next." Without Sargeant, Abiteboul has an unexpected opening to fill at Genesis Magma Racing before the team even finishes a test car. After being burned by a former F1 driver, the GMR boss is keeping the lesson in mind. "I think we can take the time to select carefully and see who's out there and properly motivated and committed," he says. "I think it takes a bit of time for sort of drivers, any drivers, to move away from their F1 dreams that they would have been chasing since their childhood.' The open seat in the GMR Trajectory Program was eventually filled by Daniel Juncadella, a former DTM driver who has spent the past few years driving GT cars for Mercedes. As Sargeant had been, Juncadella is still officially just part of the trajectory program and not necessarily signed on as a factory driver for the GMR-001 program in 2026 just yet. "For us," Abiteboul says, "it was always finding the person that was properly committed and motivated by the projects. We got in contact with [Juncadella], and it was very clear that his motivation was very clear. He [has] lots of experience, he's been used to working with a car maker with Mercedes for years in GT racing." Abiteboul says that the team is "talking to lots of people," but his current focus is to find experienced endurance racers. The team has already signed former Porsche driver Andre Lotterer and former Cadillac driver Pipo Derani. That trend should continue. "You've seen some success stories [like Le Mans winner and F1 driver Nico Hulkenberg], you can get very quick at adapting in this type of racing," he says. But, he adds, "It's more the exception. So I think what we need as we build our experience, as we build infrastructure, is mainly to find others with experience in endurance racing, lots of things that they can help and assist us with. Building the team, building the cars. Managing traffic, managing strategies." "That's why I don't think that, you know, focusing on today's F1 drivers is a first priority, but that's actually something that we would be interested in in the future." While Genesis is set to run its own team in the Europe-focused FIA World Endurance Championship in 2026, the company plans to run the GMR-001 with a partner team in the North American IMSA championship starting in 2027. One thing Genesis has not done yet: name that partner team. "We are going through the process," Abiteboul says. "We also want to do things in the right way, in a properly transparent way. So it's an important decision, because we can see that this decision is one that can affect the program in the long term... [We have] a very, very robust process of request for quotation with a number of possible partnerships. We need to conclude that process, before summer.' The GMR-001 and the Genesis Magma Racing team are currently scheduled to debut with an expected two cars at the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship season opener. That race is roughly just 10 months away. You Might Also Like You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners The Man Who Signs Every Car
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Dollars to Donuts, Auto Racing Draws In Carmakers Despite the Cost
From the March/April 2025 issue of Car and Driver. The adage "Win on Sunday, sell on Monday" justified automakers' NASCAR efforts in the 1950s. But is boosting car sales still the reason manufacturers invest in motor racing? With sky-high budgets to compete in Formula 1, any additional sales attributable to a Sunday win likely aren't enough to cover the massive costs. Automakers unable to stomach the hundreds of millions of dollars in annual spending it takes to field a competitive F1 team have plenty of other racing series to compete in, but even sales linked to success in one of these still may not net enough of a profit to cover the expense of competition. However, factor in potential vehicle sales from brand exposure in racing with the earnings from sponsorship deals, potential prize money, and—in some series—revenue-sharing models, and motorsports involvement can help an automaker stay in the black. "The potential benefits can outweigh the costs," says James Picariello, senior automotive analyst at BNP Paribas, about F1 racing. Most F1 teams operate out of the U.K., a country that legally requires companies to disclose certain financial and accounting information to the public. Thanks to this, we know the true costs of fielding a modern F1 team. For instance, Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 spent north of $530 million during the 2023 season but ultimately ended the year with more than $104 million in profits. Not all F1 teams are profitable, though. The Aston Martin– affiliated AMR GP, for instance, shelled out more than $300 million in 2023, only to end the season almost $37 million in the red after taxes. TRACKING NEW TECH: Government regulations and consumer demand limit just how much of a race car's mechanicals make their way to an automaker's road cars, but competition continues to drive innovations that go beyond the track. Manufacturers may approach racing as a place to test proofs of concept or the general reliability of new technologies or ideas, be it in the form of a powertrain setup, thermal management, or a tire compound. Compared with F1, the tens of millions of dollars it costs to field a two-car team in the FIA World Endurance Championship's (WEC) Hypercar class and the International Motor Sports Association's (IMSA) GTP class is a relative pittance. Though the potential profits from top-level endurance racing are a fraction of those from a large global series like F1, so are the possible losses. For automakers, some of which have multibillion-dollar marketing budgets, operating an endurance-racing team at a potential small loss can be a risk worth taking to increase brand exposure and awareness. Evidently, Genesis thinks so. In December, Genesis Magma Racing revealed the GMR-001 LMDh-spec endurance racer that will compete in both WEC's and IMSA's flagship classes starting in the 2026 and '27 seasons, respectively. Along with promoting the upcoming Magma line of performance vehicles, the effort aims to increase overall awareness of the barely 10-year-old luxury brand. "Motorsport is known for raising brand awareness," says Genesis chief brand officer Luc Donckerwolke. "But that's not the only factor. The main factor for me is to learn from motorsports and get experience and know-how for our high-performance products." Cadillac reentered endurance racing 25 years ago. Come 2026, a GM/Cadillac effort will contest Formula 1. AT ALL COSTS: Since 2023, F1 has enforced a $135 million cap covering almost every aspect of the development and manufacturing of a team's car, the salaries of most team personnel, and garage equipment costs. The sport holds engines to a separate $95 million max. Starting in 2026, those caps will rise to $215 million and $130 million. There are no limits on driver salaries or marketing budgets. Thanks to generous sponsorship deals, ample prize money, and revenue sharing, F1 teams can operate in the black. "We sold approximately 700 to 800 General Motors vehicles through our IMSA racing platform in 2024," says Meagan Quinn, a marketing manager for GM who works on Cadillac Racing. The company can track just how many sales are directly attributable to leads generated at on-site vehicle displays at races. "If somebody tells us they're in the market right now, a dealer reaches out to them immediately," Quinn adds. Though IMSA does not share attendance figures, association president John Doonan claims 11 of 12 events in the 2024 season had record attendance. Meanwhile, NBC Sports said last year that viewership of its IMSA broadcasts grew 37 percent in five years, with the network claiming more than 12 million viewers last season. To Doonan, who before joining IMSA served as the director of motorsports for Mazda in North America, the continued enthusiasm for motorsports—including the growing interest in endurance racing—from automakers and fans alike is little surprise. "For me, in my heart of hearts," Doonan says, "the most authentic way to market and advertise an automobile brand is through motorsport." You Might Also Like Car and Driver's 10 Best Cars through the Decades How to Buy or Lease a New Car Lightning Lap Legends: Chevrolet Camaro vs. Ford Mustang!
