WEC: Genesis completed the hypercar's initial shakedown.

      Genesis Magma Racing, the factory team of the Korean conglomerate Hyundai Motor Company, is preparing to debut in the World Endurance Championship scheduled for 2026 and has taken another important step in that direction. The team reported that the initial shakedown of the GMR-001 hypercar has been successfully completed.

      The chassis for the car was developed and built in partnership with the French company Oreca; its first prototype is ready, and two more will be built for testing and to continue the refinement of the future race‑ready Hypercar‑class prototype.

      In photos the team shared yesterday, the car appears in a black carbon livery; the first test runs took place at the Paul Ricard circuit in Le Castellet in southern France on August 5, with track work continuing three days later. The car was driven by experienced professionals Pipo Derani and André Lotterer — contracts have been confirmed with them only so far.

      Intensive testing and a homologation program lie ahead for the car, which will start the WEC season at the Qatar round in March next year, with a debut in the American IMSA championship planned for 2027.

      “This is a period when it seems like milestone events are happening every day, but that is exactly how we should be working,” said Cyril Abiteboul, team principal of Genesis Magma Racing. “The previous eight months were devoted to planning and discussions, but now we can see a finished car that is performing exactly as we expected, and that is incredibly exciting.

      We are also beginning the process of moving to the team's new base in Le Castellet. The start of the testing program is the beginning of the next phase of work, when the chassis and engine will be refined, and new production facilities will be fitted out and the team organized.”