Genesis admits lack of time the “biggest challenge” as WEC car launch nears

Hyundai Motorsport chief Cyril Abiteboul has admitted that a lack of time is the “biggest challenge” Genesis faces as it prepares for its entry into the World Endurance Championship next year.

Genesis, the new luxury car brand launched by Hyundai, will enter two LMDh prototypes in the Hypercar class of the WEC in 2026 with an in-house team.

This will be followed by an expansion into the GTP division of the IMSA SportsCar Championship the following year in collaboration with a yet-to-be announced partner team.

However, Hyundai’s board did not sign off the project until September last year, giving the company’s motorsport department a little under 18 months to get the car up and running for its WEC entry.

To speed up the process, Hyundai has chosen the LMDh platform over the more complicated LMH ruleset, while also basing its twin-turbo V8 around the engine that powers its World Rally Championship car.

But Abiteboul, who also manages Hyundai’s WRC programme, accepted that the Korean brand is facing a race against time to ensure both the car and the team are ready for the 2026 season.

“I think the biggest challenge is really the time we have available,” he said in an interview with Hyundai’s official website.

“Building a path is a challenge, but also finding the right facility and building a team. We need to have a group of 60 people who do not yet exist. We also need to have the right equipment for them to operate.

“Another big challenge, from a timing and engineering perspective, is the powertrain. And anyone who knows about engines will appreciate that we only had six months to develop a complete engine.

“We elected to go with a V8, precisely because the V8 was a great opportunity not to have to redesign a complete engine from scratch and instead take inspiration from our existing WRC engine, a very competitive 1.6-liter turbocharged inline-four that we've been using for several years. We took that engine and made it two times four in line, which gives us a V8.

“Also, we are working with partners, and one key partner is a French company called ORECA, which is not new to this business. They have been designing endurance racing cars for decades. We are also very lucky to have them as a partner to help us and guide us in the development of the design and the performance of the car.”

Genesis officially announced its plans to enter the WEC in December and the team is now working around-the-clock to launch the GMR-001 Hypercar next month.

Testing for the car is due to begin in August.

Hypercar is the second major programme for the Hyundai Group after WRC, where it won the drivers’ championship last year with Thierry Neuville.

Abiteboul explained why Genesis is venturing into endurance racing, which has attracted a large number of manufacturers since the introduction of LMH rules in 2021 and the more-affordable LMDh formula in ‘23.

“Early last year, we started to look at different options for a new venture, as we thought it was the right time to assess what could be the next chapter for the Hyundai Motor Group in motorsports,” he said.

“Around summertime last year, we thought that endurance racing was an interesting next step, and ever since then, things moved very, very quickly and very suddenly.

“It’s one of those classic heritage racings. We’re not just trying to build the here and now, but also a legacy. Racing in this type of championship against legacy brands allows us to immediately connect the brand with the best of the best in the most iconic racing venues in the world.”

Three-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner Andre Lotterer and 2016 Daytona 24 Hours victor Pipo Derani have been named as the first two drivers by Genesis for its LMDh programme.

Former Williams Formula 1 driver Logan Sargeant was supposed to contest the European Le Mans Series with the Genesis-backed IDEC Sport team in a programme that was seen as a stepping stone to an LMDh drive.

But Sargeant unexpectedly stepped down from the seat last month to “pursue other interests”, according to a statement released by IDEC. The American is yet to officially comment on his exit from the team and the wider Genesis programme.