- Genesis Magma Racing drivers and team members took valuable lessons from first involvement in 24 Hours of Le Mans, working with IDEC Sport in Le Mans Prototype 2 class
- Driver lineup of Jamie Chadwick, Mathys Jaubert and André Lotterer in contention for podium before being forced to retire shortly after halfway
- Despite disappointment, all three drivers highlighted positives of on-track performance
Le Mans, France, Sunday 15th June: Genesis Magma Racing drivers and team members learned important lessons from a positive performance on their first participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Trajectory program drivers Jamie Chadwick and Mathys Jaubert were joined on their 24 Hours of Le Mans debut by three-time winner André Lotterer in the #18 IDEC Sport-entered car in the Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) class.
Qualifying struggles give way to podium pace
The trio struggled for pace in Wednesday evening’s qualifying session, failing to progress through to the Hyperpole sessions. However, with the support of the team, which included Genesis Magma Racing’s newly-appointed Chief Engineer, Justin Taylor, the drivers improved the handling balance of the car steadily through the remaining practice sessions.
Their efforts quickly paid off at the start of the race, when Lotterer immediately began to make progress from the team’s 14th qualifying position. By the time the German completed his race-opening triple stint to hand the car over to Chadwick, the #18 was firmly established within the top eight. Chadwick consolidated that standing during an exceptional quadruple stint — one run longer than originally planned — before Jaubert completed the cycle of drivers with a triple stint deep into the night.
As the race passed the halfway point at 4 a.m., the crew were firmly in the podium battle along with the sister #28 IDEC Sport car, especially with the field bunched up following the first Safety Car of the race.
Sadly, less than two hours later, just after taking over the car, Lotterer stopped on the Mulsanne Straight after losing the right-rear wheel. Unable to drive any further, he was forced to abandon the car, ending a promising team performance after 206 laps. Working with IDEC Sport, Genesis Magma Racing personnel will analyse the cause of the problem in the coming days to avoid a repeat when they return to the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) at Imola next month.
Key weekend in creation of the new team
Five new members of Genesis Magma Racing team management were announced by Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul at a press conference the day before the race. Alongside Taylor, Team Manager Anouck Abadie; Sporting Director Gabriele Tarquini; Driver Program Advisor Mia Sharizman; and Commercial, Marketing and Communication Manager Warren Scheckter all got their first chance to work with the team and drivers at the race.
Furthermore, over 40 members of Hyundai Motorsport were identified for the Trajectory program to potentially join Genesis Magma Racing’s debut FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season. All gained first-hand experience of the incredible atmosphere of the race weekend, helping to prepare them to execute their future roles flawlessly 12 months from now.
Post-race quotes: #18 IDEC Sport Oreca 07
Chadwick said: “It's been an incredible experience. I don't think anything can fully prepare you for your first Le Mans. It’s been such a pleasure to be a part of it. It's funny, I think I would have taken your arm off to just be in the race at the beginning and then you suddenly start fighting for a podium position. Obviously disappointing in the end, but still incredible work by the whole team.
“I think our strategy and our teamwork has been really good and I learned a lot from André this week. In the race I just tried not to make any mistakes — not getting any penalties or anything like that. My teammates did a great job so when I got in the car, I was always in a really good position. It's a shame obviously not to continue to do that throughout the race, but I'm happy with the progress we've made. It's not easy to come to this place.”
Jaubert said: “I’m very frustrated for sure, but at least we take a lot of experience with Jamie for our first 24 Hours of Le Mans. We’re not happy about the result, but the pace was great. Like from the start of the year, we've made no mistakes, had good pace and good strategy. We were fighting for the podium, so it was a great race, but unfortunately, we had an issue on the car with the wheel. But at least we can take a lot of experience. Le Mans has been all about traffic management. Racing at night is all new for us. Also, the balance of sleeping and waking up — it's quite different, so it’s good to learn how to manage all these things.”
Lotterer said: “It was the race we wanted up until the point where we retired. I think we did really well. We had a good rhythm, staying out of trouble and not getting any penalties, so we were in the mix for the podium, but after the pit stop, we lost the right-rear wheel and there was no chance to come back with the way the differential works, so I had to park the car. It's sad for Jamie and Mathys for them not to be able to finish their first Le Mans. They were driving very steady and learning a lot. So, I think they would have deserved to be there at the end, but it's like this.
“It was great to be on board and represent Genesis Magma Racing colours and be with people for next year and start building team spirit already. Obviously, next year is going to be a completely different game with the GMR-001 Hypercar. The whole structure is going to be bigger, more complex and more sophisticated, but in terms of operations and human processes, we'll learn at many levels from this weekend.”
Abiteboul said: “Ten months after the decision to enter endurance racing, Genesis' participation in Le Mans this year with our drivers and some of our first staff members was an achievement in itself, and another milestone of our Trajectory program designed to enter the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2026 in the strongest possible position. We wanted to accumulate useful experience for next year, and that's precisely what we've done ever since we arrived in Le Mans, and in the 14 hours of very competitive running during the race. It was an amazing progression through the field from the team. In their first time at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Jamie and Mathys were incredibly impressive in every circumstance, and we need to say a big thank you to André for sharing his experience of Le Mans with them.
“While we did not target a particular result, we obviously wanted to do well, and thanks to the relentless efforts of IDEC Sport, the car could progress during the first half of the race to run in solid podium positions. The retirement is a disappointment, but that should not overshadow [the fact] that it's been a very successful week where we’ve learned many things. It was also heart-warming to get such a positive response to our arrival in the WEC paddock, to the design of the GMR-001 Hypercar and the announcement of our new management structure at the event.”
About Genesis
Founded in South Korea, Genesis offers premium cars with a luxury experience and is committed to delivering an exceptional service to its customers. From its European headquarters in Frankfurt, Genesis Motor Europe operates in Germany, Switzerland and the UK. Since launching in Europe in 2021, the brand has received multiple company and product award wins across all three markets.
The Genesis range includes three dynamic pure electric models as well as the most recent addition, Genesis G90, the brand’s flagship luxury saloon. Central to Genesis' identity is the distinctive design language of 'Athletic Elegance', blended with the very latest technology to deliver state-of-the-art customer features. Genesis is dedicated to a sustainable future and aims to become carbon net zero by 2035.
For more information about Genesis and its definition of premium, please visit www.genesis.com.
