Genesis confirms driver combinations for inaugural Hypercar season

With its six Hypercar drivers already determined, Genesis Magma Racing has now confirmed how they’ll be aligned for the Korean manufacturer’s first FIA World Endurance Championship campaign in 2026.

The No. 17 Genesis GMR-001 (pictured above in testing) will be driven by three-time 24 Hours of Le Mans overall winner André Lotterer, 2016 Rolex 24 At Daytona winner Pipo Derani and French rookie Mathys Jaubert, who steps up from the Genesis Magma Racing Trajectory Program after an excellent season in the European Le Mans Series LMP2 class with IDEC Sport.

Reigning IMSA WeatherTech GTP champion Mathieu Jaminet, former Alpine Hypercar driver Paul-Loup Chatin and longtime former Mercedes-AMG factory driver Daniel Juncadella will be in the No. 19 GMR-001, bringing experience from their prior endurance racing programs. As previously announced, Jamie Chadwick will serve as the reserve driver for 2026.

“Once we had all our drivers for the 2026 season confirmed, deciding the line-ups for the two race cars became the most important decision for Cyril [Abiteboul, team principal], Justin [Taylor, chief engineer] and myself,” explained Sporting Director Gabriele Tarqquini. “We wanted the strongest balance of experience and youth in each line-up. So, for example, we have André and Pipo – our most experienced drivers – together with Mathys, who is our only driver who has never raced in the WEC before. In the other car we have a great mix of Hypercar and LMDh knowledge with Mathieu and Paul-Loup, and the endurance racing experience of Dani.

“We analyzed each driver’s performance in the tests but also listened to the feedback they gave – and how they gave it. We also evaluated which drivers communicated and worked best together outside of the car, which you get to see in the quieter moments during testing and visits to the workshop. Finally, we needed to find the best compromises in terms of drivers’ height and weight, which is important to speed up driver changes during a race and save vital seconds.”

Tarquini also valued the experience that most of its drivers have brought to the program, adding, “It was fundamental because, unlike other manufacturers, we couldn’t rely on existing teams and previous projects, since we were starting from scratch.

“However, it was important not to waste time, because the period between our first test and first race is so short. We had to choose the right people for the right positions and begin to grow straight away. After each driver’s first laps in the car, I listened to them carefully to grasp the smallest nuances of their relationship with the GMR-001 Hypercar. Each was focused on something slightly different; their emotions and words were varied, but all were aimed at improving performance and taking the next steps forward together.”