– In the world of the World Endurance Championship (WEC), the debut of a new hypercar is usually marked by technical drama and painful learning curves. But Genesis experienced an impressive cold start at the 6 Hours of Imola.
With good reliability and an impressive 14th place for car number 17, the Korean manufacturer has made a first statement behind its ambitious 500-day project. That is the period from the announcement of the project to the first race.
That Andre Lotterer, Pipo Derani, and Mathys Jaubert would even see the checkered flag within sight of the top 10 was hardly expected beforehand. “At the briefing, we still thought we would be lapped twice,” a visibly satisfied Andre Lotterer told Motorsport-Total.com.
But instead of getting lost in traffic, car number 17 held its ground – at times even in a direct duel with a Ferrari. Of course, the safety car phase helped, but overall the performance was better than expected.
Tactical gamble as a stumbling block
It should also be noted that the team ran an unexpected third stint on one set of tires, hoping the rain would get heavier. Although it did not, the result is all the more impressive considering this small strategic mistake.
The team was fighting against invisible hurdles. As newcomers, they traditionally have to live with a conservative “safety BoP” that is oriented towards the strongest car in the field. Since the WEC now keeps the detailed classification data under wraps, much remains speculation – but the performance of the GMR-001 with that classification suggests that the package already offers a solid foundation.
“Rally DNA” in the hypercar world
Behind the success lies a logistical Herculean task. In just 500 days, a complete motorsport department was built from scratch. “We didn’t even have a workshop at the beginning,” said Lotterer. With the improvisational skills of the Hyundai rally team, personnel were recruited, the car was developed, and the infrastructure was built simultaneously.
While number 17 ran like clockwork, the sister car #19 (Jaminet/Chatin/Juncadella) had to pay its dues. A faulty sensor caused misfires early on and an unscheduled stop. After the repair, however, the car delivered a flawless comeback.
Dani Juncadella nevertheless drew a positive conclusion: “The reliability was basically there. In the fast corners, we are extremely strong – I had the Aston Martin behind me and he just couldn’t get past.”
After missing the season opener in Qatar, Imola was the day of truth. Major mechanical leaps are not expected for now due to strict joker regulations. The focus is now clearly on the digital adjustments. Software is the big battleground in the WEC world. “This is our learning year,” emphasizes Lotterer. “There won’t be any hardware updates for now, we have to understand the base.”
The leap forward is mainly to be achieved through software optimization. With 14th place as a foundation and a probably more favorable classification with the Koreans expected in a few races. The foundation for a successful future in the hypercar class has been laid.
