- The build of the first GMR-001 Hypercar chassis passed a critical milestone on 9th July, with a successful car fire-up taking place exactly according to schedule
- The chassis, destined for testing and development work during 2025, is being built at the workshop of Genesis Magma Racing’s chassis partner, Oreca
- The trouble-free fire up leaves only the final stages of the build to be completed before the car is handed over to Genesis Magma Racing engineers for the first track tests in August
- Click here to watch the first fire-up of the GMR‑001 Hypercar
Le Castellet (VAR), France, 24 July 2025: Development of Genesis Magma Racing’s GMR-001 Hypercar (GMR-001) passed another major milestone on 9th July, with the first fire-up of the car taking place at Le Castellet, exactly on schedule.
The moment was not only a key stage in the overall project, which will bring Genesis Magma Racing into the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). It was also a pivotal moment in the build of the first development car that will be used during the team’s on-track testing for the rest of the year.
GMR-001 Comes to Life in Latest Landmark Moment
Work to build the GMR-001 development chassis began immediately after the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Taking place at Oreca’s workshop, close to the location of Genesis Magma Racing’s Race Base and Circuit Paul Ricard, the initial build work was completed by Oreca’s experienced technicians, with mechanics and engineers from Genesis Magma Racing involved at key stages.
The installation and fire-up of the V8 twin-turbo engine was a vital point. “In a project like this, you have certain dates circled and this was one of them,” said Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul. “The car fire-up was the GMR-001 coming to life – a huge step in the story of Genesis Magma Racing. To reach this point on schedule is already a huge achievement and a perfect way to start the next stage of the development process.”
The car fire-up marked the latest milestone in the development of GMR-001’s powertrain. As well as running the engine though a rev range in each of the seven transmission gears, engineers were able to test the car’s hybrid system, charging the batteries from the engine and directing the energy to the rear driveshafts, as would happen on track.
Hyundai Motorsport’s Powertrain Department began work on the engine in June 2024, starting with the design, which is derived from the team’s championship-winning FIA World Rally Championship motor. The engine was first successfully fired-up in February. Since then, the company’s engineers have put the engine and transmission through months of testing to validate simulations of performance and efficiency. The successful integration of the engine into GMR-001 chassis now opens the way to the next stage of testing and development work, with the first track run planned for the end of August.
Car Build Process Combines Expertise of Different Departments and Partners
The close cooperation between Genesis Magma Racing and the team’s chassis partner, Oreca, has been central throughout the car build and fire-up process, with the two groups working in tandem to meet the tight deadlines required by GMR-001’s development schedule.
Genesis Magma Racing Technical Director FX Demaison said: “The car build has been about bringing everything together – all the expertise we have within Genesis Magma Racing and at Oreca.”
He added: “It’s now when we can start physically connecting all the different strands of development work that we’ve been following for the last year with our Powertrain and Design teams. The successful GMR-001 fire-up is confirmation of our work so far, but also the start of the next stage of the development that comes with testing.”
The final stages of the car build are still continuing, with Oreca and Genesis Magma Racing teams now completing the first car for the start of testing, before switching focus to work further on the chassis and accelerate the development of GMR-001 ahead of the homologation process for the 2026 WEC season.
About Genesis Motor Europe
Founded in Seoul, Genesis is a leader in premium electrified cars with a vibrant, distinctly Korean spirit.
Launched in Europe in 2021, the brand’s award-winning premium models offer a luxurious ownership experience, defined by advanced technologies, dynamic performance and the trademark ‘Athletic Elegance’ design philosophy. Genesis’ European lineup includes GV60, Electrified GV70 and Electrified G80, offering effortless refinement, intelligent features, and unique interior concepts inspired by ‘the beauty of white space’.
Headquartered in Frankfurt, Genesis Motor Europe operates in Germany, Switzerland, and the UK - as part of its ongoing market growth strategy, the brand will launch in France, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands in 2026. Underlining its position as a design-driven performance brand, Genesis will introduce GV60 Magma, its first high performance model, and debut the Genesis Magma Racing LMDh car in the 2026 World Endurance Championship.
Genesis is dedicated to a sustainable future and aims to become carbon net zero by 2035.
For more information about Genesis, please visit www.genesis.com.
