After the ACO and McLaren, it was Genesis’ turn to face the press on Friday at Le Mans.
The premium brand of the Hyundai Group chose the Manufacturer Village, where a full-scale model of its GMR-001 is on display this week. The car is expected to hit the track for testing in August and debut in the World Endurance Championship next year.
"The design has been frozen, the car that you see here is very-very-very close to the car that will be racing next year here and before that in the start of the WEC season," said team principal Cyril Abiteboul.
"The engine, the powertrain, is also already making good progress, it's on the dyno as we speak, for two weeks now, we hit the fire-up button exactly on time on February 28.
"The power is here, I can guarantee you, we have absolutely no shortage on power, that side is absolutely covered."
André Lotterer and Pipo Derani, and technical director François-Xavier Demaison, have previously been unveiled as key players in the programme in addition to Abiteboul.
But Genesis also revealed roles for Mia Sharizman, who becomes the team’s driver programme advisor, and Warren Scheckter, who takes up the role of commercial, marketing and communication manager.
But most attention was on the three key individuals who will fill the roles of team manager, chief engineer, and sporting director: Anouck Abadie, Justin Taylor and Gabriele Tarquini.
Each begins their new role immediately, with both Abadie and Taylor already integrated into the IDEC Sport team at the Le Mans 24 Hours to work on the #18 ORECA 07 LMP2 entry in GMR colors, in preparation for the first GMR-001 tests.
“Anouck, Justin and Gabriele are fantastic additions to the Genesis Magma Racing team,” said Abiteboul.
“They all have great experience in motorsport, which will be complemented by additional endurance racing expertise from other team members we’ll be recruiting in the coming months.
“This mix, and the management structure we announce today, will be at the heart of the team throughout our testing with the GMR-001 Hypercar and our racing programme in the FIA World Endurance Championship next year.”
Sporting Director: Gabriele Tarquini
Many specialists believed that Abiteboul would rely on a sporting director with extensive experience in endurance racing. Instead, he opted for someone he knows well and has worked with for years: Tarquini.
“When I stopped racing in 2021, the natural evolution was to stay in motorsport, starting in the world I know: touring cars,” said Tarquini.
“I’ve had some very successful seasons, but joining Genesis Magma Racing is a new challenge for me. I have a lot to learn about the WEC, but I will use all my experience as a driver, coach and team manager to be ready for next season.”
Gabriele Tarquini is best known for winning British, European and World touring car titles, including the inaugural WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup in 2018 with Hyundai Motorsport.
He also had a Formula 1 stint - though being saddled with largely poor machinery from Osella, Coloni, AGS, Fondmetal and Tyrrell meant he scored just one point and failed to qualify for 40 of his 78 grands prix appearances across 1987 to 1995.
And he has a Le Mans start on his CV too: as a 23-year-old Formula 3000 racer in 1985 he was called up as third driver for Brun Motorsport's Porsche 956.
After hanging up his helmet, Tarquini became team manager of Hyundai Motorsport’s leading customer squad, helping steer them to four titles in three years.
His new role will be a huge challenge, but his presence at Le Mans this week will allow him to discover the race from the inside and avoid arriving in the dark next year.
Chief Engineer: Justin Taylor
A Le Mans winner with both Audi and Ferrari (in 2023 as race engineer), Taylor has also triumphed at the 12 Hours of Sebring and Petit Le Mans with Cadillac.
We’ve also seen him with Rebellion Racing plus with Dale Coyne Racing and Chip Ganassi Racing in the IndyCar Series.
Undoubtedly, the 44-year-old American was the most sought-after engineer in the paddock, but he has chosen to tie his future to Genesis.
“Joining Genesis Magma Racing is very exciting for me,” he said. “Coming onboard in the chief engineer role allows me a chance to develop our team and the GMR-001 Hypercar from the ground up, to be ready for the 2026 WEC season and beyond.”
He brings vital experience not only in the WEC but also from IMSA, critical as Genesis Magma Racing aims to enter the North American championship in 2027. Taylor is clearly a major asset for the Korean team.
The Race can also confirm the identity of one of the two race engineers: Mathieu Leroy, who has worked this season on the #18 ORECA 07 in Genesis Magma Racing colors, both in the European Le Mans Series and at the Le Mans 24 Hours. Until last year, he worked at Porsche Penske Motorsport on the #5 963.
Team Manager: Anouck Abadie
Abadie is the surprise pick. But at just 32 years old, the Frenchwoman ticks all the boxes for the profile sought by Genesis Magma Racing.
She previously worked at the FIA, before taking on roles as sporting director and team manager for teams such as Kessel Racing. She has a deep understanding of endurance racing and its regulations and brings valuable endurance experience to a team that desperately needs it.
“The FIA and ACO made a winning bet when they launched the Hypercar category, and the number of manufacturers who have since joined says it all,” said Abadie.
“This new project with Genesis Magma Racing gives us the opportunity to start from a blank slate and build a strong team of motivated people who share our vision. It will definitely be challenging, and that’s what makes it so exciting. I can’t wait to see our car on track.”
Like Taylor, she is embedded with IDEC Sport at this weekend’s Le Mans 24 Hours, a race she already knows inside out.
What else?
As previously mentioned several times, Genesis Magma Racing will base its headquarters at IDEC Sport, near Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet and close to ORECA’s factory, where the first two GMR-001 chassis to be used for development testing are assembled.
Combined with the new facilities in Offenbach (Germany), which will serve as the central base for the company’s World Rally Championship and Customer Racing operations, the French and German premises will span over 10,000 square metres. Nearly 300 employees will be based there, including about 50 people to be recruited by Genesis Magma Racing by the end of 2026.
More broadly, Genesis Motor Europe managing director Xavier Martinet recently announced a major expansion on the European continent, as the brand prepares to enter the markets of France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands, with first deliveries expected in early 2026. These four new markets will complement Genesis’ existing network in Germany, Switzerland and the UK.
“Our entry into these important markets is a pivotal moment for Genesis,” said Martinet. “We are now moving to deepen our long-term presence and commitment across Europe.
“This is the most significant market expansion since we launched in Europe in 2021 and marks the beginning of our next phase of measured, strategic growth and sporting brand direction.”
And this is the main reason behind the brand’s entry into the WEC: to make a name for itself in a region where, until now, it has been virtually unknown.
