Genesis Magma Racing has finalised its driver roster for the 2026 FIA WEC season, with the signings of Mathieu Jaminet and Paul-Loup Chatin.
The Frenchmen will join the previously announced André Lotterer, Pipo Derani, Mathys Jaubert and Daniel Juncadella behind the wheel of the GMR-001 Hypercar for Genesis’ maiden FIA WEC campaign, with Jamie Chadwick acting as Reserve Driver.
“We have an amazing line-up for Genesis Magma Racing’s first year in the FIA World Endurance Championship,” said Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul.
“The combination of drivers that we have secured far exceeds any expectation we had when we began the project. It is a huge mark of the trust these race winners and champions have placed in our young team, Genesis and the broader Hyundai Motor Group. I am sure they will create huge motivation and a virtuous circle for the team that is coming together very nicely at our base in Signes.”
Jaminet joins Genesis after spending over a decade racing Porsches, including a six-year stint as a factory driver for the German marque.
During this time, the 31-year-old won the 2022 IMSA GTD PRO drivers’ championship, before focusing on the 963 prototype programme, where he raced full-time in North America alongside starts at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where he notably shared a garage with Lotterer in ’23 and ‘24, and in select other FIA WEC events.
Alongside Matt Campbell, Jaminet won this year’s IMSA GTP drivers’ title, shortly after which he confirmed that he would be parting ways with Porsche at the end of 2025, with his last appearance coming at the 8 Hours of Bahrain earlier this month.
“I’m very happy to be joining Genesis Magma Racing,” Jaminet said. “This is the start of a new chapter, a new history for me. This team offers me the opportunity to go racing in the WEC and hopefully, in the future also the IMSA series.
“I wanted to have a fresh start with new people to try to step up, but also bring my experience to a new team and work to build something incredible for the future. Obviously, the road will be long with a new team, but I’m really excited and looking forward to the challenge ahead.”
The Frenchman has already had his first taste of the ORECA-based, 3.2L V8-powered machine at a recent endurance test at MotorLand Aragón, which ran from the 15th to 17th November. Genesis Magma Racing brought multiple chassis to Spain, including one adorning the orange and red livery with which the car was originally teased.
With 35 starts in LMDh machinery, Jaminet is one of the most experienced drivers out there when it comes to the current era of top-class prototypes, making his feedback invaluable for a programme still in its infancy.
“I had to adapt a little bit,” he reflected on his test experience. “The car requires a different driving style compared to what I am used to. It seems to like nice big corners. It’s actually quite nice. At this stage, every lap is really important for a driver. You need to understand all the systems, all the buttons on the steering wheel and all the procedures.
“I think I come in with different feedback on a few things. I’m one of the most experienced drivers with LMDh cars, and obviously, I was in a different car not long ago. I tried not to get too much feedback from the other drivers , I really wanted to make my opinion, also for the engineers. The idea was not to provide me with too much information to really start from a white sheet of paper to tell them what I think.”
Chatin also brings prior Hypercar experience to the Genesis Magma Racing camp. The 34-year-old has competed for Alpine Endurance Team the past two years, racing a car which utilises the same ORECA spine as the GMR-001, and scored victory at September’s 6 Hours of Fuji.
The Frenchman is also familiar with several of Genesis’ crew, as well as Jaubert and Juncadella, having competed in the European Le Mans Series with IDEC Sport this season. Alongside its own entry in which Chatin featured, IDEC also fielded the Genesis Magma Racing Trajectory Programme car in the LMP2 class.
“I am truly honoured and proud to join the Genesis Magma Racing adventure in Hypercar,” Chatin said. “First and foremost, I would like to thank everyone who made this opportunity possible. After two enriching years with Alpine Endurance Team and the recent success in Fuji, I feel more ready than ever to take on this new challenge
“Genesis is still a young brand, but its values and ambitions immediately resonated with me. I’m well aware of the challenges that await us, but I have full confidence in our team’s talent and determination to quickly move forward and fight for top positions.”
With its roster for the 2026 season now determined, the next step for Genesis Magma Racing is to decide the combination in which they will pilot its pair of FIA WEC entries.
The team has previously indicated that it may opt to run with only two drivers per car in the shorter races, a strategy employed by Porsche and Aston Martin this year.
“The chemistry between drivers in the car is vital when it comes to success,” explained Sporting Director Gabriele Tarquini.
“Through the tests, we can see how the drivers work together, see how their driving styles and set-up preferences match, and how the relationships begin to form before deciding our line ups for the season. The key will be to make sure we have the best possible squad of drivers in both cars to help us create the strong foundations we need as a team.”
The Genesis GMR-001 will make its racing debut at next year’s Qatar 1812KM, the opening round of the 2026 FIA WEC, on the 26th to 28th March 2026.
Image © Genesis Magma Racing
