Why Hyundai won't be an invisible touch with new Genesis Le Mans project

The World Rally frontrunner is going into sportscar competition with its Genesis brand – and has no time to lose after committing to the programme relatively late. But all indications show it is taking things very seriously as it seeks to translate success on the stages to the home of endurance racing

You might not have even heard of Genesis when it announced in September that it was building an LMDh prototype. And for good reason: Hyundai’s premium brand is not yet 10 years old. That explains why it has been absent from the world of motorsport until now. But the time was right for an entry into the World Endurance Championship in 2026 and the IMSA SportsCar Championship the year after.

There was no point in going racing before there was something to promote, points out Luc Donckerwolke, chief creative officer of Genesis Motors since the foundation of the brand. He describes its motorsport entry in the top echelons of sportscar racing as “a natural evolution” for a marque that was announced in 2015 and hit the market with its first car two years later.

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Gary Watkins

WEC

Hyundai Motorsport

IDEC Sport Racing

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Author Gary Watkins

Gary Watkins has, for reasons best known to himself, devoted all his working life to covering sportscar racing. This season is his 32nd as a motorsport journalist, during which time he has reported on major long-distance events on four continents and approaching 75 24-hour races. He reckons a degree in political philosophy makes him well qualified for covering the sometimes Machiavellian world of international sportscars.

Gary, who also writes for Autoweek, Motor Sport, Autocourse, RACER and others, lives in Surbiton but spends more time on the road than at home for most of the year.