– In simple black-gray with orange accents, the Genesis GMR-001 will enter its first season in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) 2026 and thus also the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
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The GMR-001 had previously been shown several times in a completely black livery; on the version now shown, in addition to the mandatory WEC stickers, logos from lubricant partner Shell and other partners as well as orange self-promotion for Genesis Magma Racing have been added.
Genesis avoids a color scheme conflict with McLaren, who will enter the WEC in 2027, by using a slightly lighter shade of black. After all, McLaren also relies on the basic colors orange and black. For the Korean group, however, the magma remains more in the background; here it has mostly already solidified into black rock mass.
Seven test drives for preparation
Behind the rollout and the presentation lies an intensive development program. Since the first rollout at the Circuit Paul Ricard at the end of August 2025, the car has undergone a steep learning curve. For Andre Lotterer, who has been involved in the project since the end of 2024, building the team was a special experience.
“We started almost from zero,” Lotterer explains to Motorsport-Total.com. “It’s cool that I can be a bit more involved than just being a number in an established team and could contribute my experience.” (Andre Lotterer on the team’s development work)
The team grew in parallel with the technical development. “In August we drove the first laps. The team was still relatively small, but we had the support of Oreca so as not to lose any time.”
Presentation Genesis GMR-001
While the 3,2-liter V8 turbo engine and the software are in-house developments, Genesis relies on Oreca for the chassis. This makes the Genesis GMR-001 the third LMDh car, after the Acura ARX-06 and Alpine A424, to be built on an Oreca chassis. The Ford LMDh will be added from 2027.
Dani Juncadella explains in an interview with Motorsport-Total.com: “Oreca has a long history of building very good chassis. That’s why it was clear to me relatively quickly that we have a very good basis. Aerodynamics, chassis, and mechanical grip were very strong from the start.”
The endurance test: 30 hours in Portimao
After the first “baby steps” in Le Castellet, the first real endurance test followed in Portimao in September. The team completed a 30-hour endurance program at the Algarve Circuit. As with most previous LMDh vehicles, the car showed astonishing reliability from the start.
Juncadella, who sat in the car for the first time in Portugal, is impressed: “We were able to drive for a very long time at a stretch during the first major test. There were a few small problems, but nothing major. A sensor might be sitting a bit too close to the engine, gets too hot and fails – things like that. But there was never anything where you would have said: we have to completely redesign that.”
Lotterer adds that the focus was primarily on drivability and the complex software: “Software is always an issue in this championship. You have to be able to handle the torque sensors on the drive shafts well in order to get as close as possible to the prescribed power of 520 kW.”
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Genesis GMR-001 in action during test drives in Imola
The test program took the team via Magny-Cours, where Genesis gained valuable experience in the rain, to Aragon and finally to Qatar in January. A final preparatory test in Imola was then completed in March. With each test, the size of the team’s staff continued to grow.
“In Magny-Cours, the rain was a godsend,” says Lotterer. “Sometimes you have to get dirty and wet to really understand the tires and the traction control.”
In Qatar, according to Juncadella, the focus was primarily on warming up the tires, which will be significantly different again with the new Michelin tire: “Qatar was the first track in the program where you could say: we will be racing here next year. With the Hypercar, it’s something completely different there than with a GT car because of the fast corners and the downforce.”
Genesis GMR-001 vs. Porsche 963: Completely different philosophy
Lotterer draws an interesting comparison to his previous work tool: “The car is fun to drive. It’s completely different compared to the Porsche – more precise, more linear and gives a bit more confidence. It’s a bit purer to drive.”
Mathieu Jaminet, another ex-Porsche driver, agrees: “The GMR-001 is very different from the Porsche I drove before. It’s surprising that two different cars can feel so different under such tight regulations.”
“The GMR-001 definitely already has certain strengths, even though we are still in an early phase of the whole project. Regarding the weaker points, I want to share my experience with the engineers that I developed with the previous vehicle. Then we should be able to put a car capable of winning on its feet.”
Modesty before the debut
Despite the intensive preparation, the team remains realistic. Pipo Derani compares the work so far to climbing Mount Everest, but emphasizes that the fine-tuning of pit stops and procedures must now follow. Paul-Loup Chatin warns against too high expectations: “It wouldn’t be realistic to say we come here and are immediately fast and reliable.”
Sporting Director Gabriele Tarquini emphasizes the human factor: “Endurance racing is about trust and communication. We have drivers with an extreme amount of Hypercar experience and others who help overcome the difficulties of the first season with the enthusiasm of rookies. They bring different strengths.”
So what would be a realistic goal? Lotterer: “We have to stay humble. A great season would be if we finish the first race without major problems. It would be nice to be on the podium twice. We want to be in the mix at the front, but we don’t know exactly where we stand yet, as we haven’t shared the track with other teams yet.”
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The moment of truth will then be on the program at the delayed season opener in Imola. Until then, the team will carry out intensive preparatory work in the home simulator. But no matter how good the preparation was, a certain amount of nervousness is always involved. On April 18, the cards will finally be on the table at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari.
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