This weekend, the first round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) took place with the Imola six hour race in Italy.
Undoubtedly, this championship is for the purists, with the fans braving all weathers in the grandstands to catch a glimpse of both GT3 and LM Hypercars (LMDh) as they rip by. Ear plugs are a must for all at the track, with the sound of the LMDh V8 hybrids being louder than any other class that the FIA presides over.
It is great to see fans’ spirits so strong, but it is no surprise. For this first round, a certain prancing horse competed in both classes on home ground.
Most interestingly though, there was a new addition to the LMDh line up - Genesis Magma Racing (GMR). While Genesis’s road cars are a relatively new addition to European streets, with market launches in Italy, France and the Netherlands taking place this year, the brand has a massive, established presence in Korea and the US with premium caché. If you find yourself at any golfing tournament worth mentioning, anywhere in the world, you will no doubt see a Genesis with a chauffeur behind the wheel to boot.
The Hypercars are completely different beasts though - long, low, wide things where the driver sits pretty much in the middle of the cockpit, continuing the design legacy of the endurance racing greats from the 60s and 70s. However, GMR is the first Korean manufacturer to participate on this plein, and has rolled the cars onto the grid at a jaw-dropping pace. Whilst no one can doubt the resources required to compete at such a level, it is striking to note that 500 days ago, this team and these cars did not exist. Everything here has been built from the ground up, taking lessons from their entrance into the European Le Mans Series in their LMP2 prototype car last year (driven by our Issue 08 cover star, Jamie Chadwick).
Building credibility on the track is key
— Cyril Abiteboul
GMR, and President of Hyundai Racing, Cyril Abiteboul, are proud of their diverse LMDh team which consists of 75 people, made up of 16 nationalities. While Hyundai, Genesis’s sister brand, has a solid presence in the World Rally Championship - the 3.2 V8 engine used in the Hypercar was developed by bolting two of the in-line four rally engines together - the goal for endurance is different, realistic and refreshingly modest.
“Building credibility on the track is key,” he tells us at the press conference, which takes place in the paddock following qualifying, with both cars finishing the race being the aim for this first round (tick, tick). Some stalwart competitors could not say the same. Before the race, it was easy to dismiss the team’s dream of finishing in the top five by the end of the season, but of course a lot can change over the course of six, twelve or twenty-four hours on the track. By the end of the day on Sunday, other teams were visibly sitting up and paying attention.
We have an ambition to challenge the status quo
— Peter Kronschnabel
Front of mind, though, is an obvious question. Why would a brand which no longer produces petrol road cars be interested in competing in a petrol-powered championship? What’s the connection?
Peter Kronschnabel, Managing Director of Genesis Europe, takes the bait. “Being a young brand [on the grid], we see it as an advantage. We have an ambition to challenge the status quo.”
All heritage automotive brands have built a name for themselves on the track, which undoubtedly translates to the tarmac we drive on, and Genesis clearly wants to do the same. The track, no matter the discipline, is also where the origins of innovation lie for the automotive industry. And with Belgian F1 legend Jackie Ickx, one of the true OGs, on board in an advisory capacity, it seems they have all the right tools at their disposal.
It’s here where their approach makes sense: Genesis is part of the third largest automotive company in the world, so why wouldn’t they explore an additional development avenue? Development leads to technological breakthroughs, and the refinement of this technology leads to the quality which a customer appreciates. Principally, it will aid them as they explore new drivetrains for road cars, in a market where direction of travel and incoming legislative changes seem to switch on an almost weekly basis.
It’s with the launch of the Genesis GV60 Magma, the brand’s first “hot” road car, later this year, that the lineage between Race and Road for this marque becomes inscrutable. They’re playing traditional, heritage manufacturers at their own game, using it as a learning exercise above all else - for them, this play is a long one. You know what they say, keep your friends close, and your competitors closer. OK, there may not be many Genesis cars on our roads yet (the brand has had a presence in the U.K. for five years now, whilst celebrating 10 years in Korea this year), but they’re right there on the circuit curves with the rest of the European brands we all know.
And what about who buys these cars? Maximilian Kalbfell, Head of Marketing for Genesis Europe, says the brand caters to the “frustrated connoisseurs” - long-term loyalists of heritage brands that are disillusioned with declining product quality and customer experience. And as someone who has a preference for the older stuff, I am inclined to agree that they, as a new entrant to the market, have a prime opportunity to ruffle some German and Italian feathers, with interior quality being a stand-out.
What sticks most though, is the team’s humility. One would assume that a new team on a grid would arrive shouting from the rooftops, but that was not the case here. GMR is distinctly aware of the fact that they have little to lose, and everything to win. Yes, trophies and titles are one thing, but the respect and acknowledgement they offer their competitors on hallowed automotive grounds is unmatched. There is no room for ego, only for learning. Furthermore, as these values are already cemented in the foundations of the brand, and therefore showrooms, there is a distinct lack of pretension we might see elsewhere. European hearts and minds are clearly what Genesis is gunning for, and they might just get them. Other brands and teams could learn a thing or two from the newcomer, for sure.
It will make interesting watching as the season progresses to see how GMR’s standing develops compared to the rest of the field. They want to get to the top, but they don’t plan on cutting any corners. That has to be commended.
