The confirmation that Hyundai’s halo brand Genesis will enter the top class of endurance racing is another welcome step forward for the Hypercar/GTP era.
Since the brief confirmation statement last month, there has been no more detail through official channels. That’s not to say, though, that we know nothing about the developing programme.
What is clear already is that there are aspirations to race both in the FIA World Endurance Championship and in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, as North America is an important market for Genesis.
On timing, there is a little less certainty, but it seems very likely indeed that Genesis will commit some resources to a 2025 LMP2 programme in the ELMS. The effort looks set to be fielded by an existing team and utilised to ‘bed in’ crew and management with ACO rules and regulations in a live race environment.
This programme indicates heavily that DSC’s initial reporting will prove to be correct – the Genesis FIA WEC programme will be undertaken by an in-house team.
DSC has been aware for some time of a number of teams – including at least one not currently in LMP2 – that have been under consideration for this preparatory ELMS effort. It is most likely to be composed of a blend of current ELMS staff and a reasonable number of incoming Hyundai/Genesis personnel, some understood to be transferring from the Hyundai WRC programme.
Several teams, some who have been approached by Hyundai, and others who have gone directly to team management to express interest in taking on the project, have been in the mix. At the time of writing, it seems clear that at least two are still under active consideration.
IDEC Sport and TDS Racing (Panis Racing) look to be two of three final contenders for the effort in 2025, with Romain Dumas’ RD Limited – set to make its LMP2 debut in the Asian Le Mans Series – looking like the third.
All three are based in Southern France, and both IDEC and Panis/TDS tick the boxes as race-winning squads with high-quality staff and facilities. The location of the teams is key, with the Genesis car known to be designed around an ORECA chassis, a choice which could have a knock-on effect on programme roll-out timings.
Indeed, DSC is aware that the factory team is likely to establish its operational home in the same region. However, some functions of the effort are set to remain in Germany, the current home of Hyundai’s European and global motorsport efforts at factory and customer levels.
At this point meanwhile, it seems that the US effort is at a somewhat less advanced point. Again, DSC understands that no contracts have been signed, but there are several players in the mix still for a programme that will have a different look and feel to the WEC effort, as Genesis is clearly looking for a service provider to help field its targeted GTP entries.
Chip Ganassi Racing has been oft-mentioned as being in a strong position for that programme, but the final deal is understood not to have been done – yet at least. There are rumblings that others remain in the mix – and a surprise is not out of the question.
So when will all this come together? Early indications have always been that this programme is targeting a 2026 competitive debut, but where?
The most sensible assumption is that the WEC will be a part of that initial roll-out, as the key technical partners and the team’s administrative headquarters look set to be based in Europe.
So will Genesis roll out in both Hypercar and GTP at the same time?
Perhaps not. IMSA’s season-opening stretch at Daytona and Sebring provides two high-profile events, but it also provides a major challenge to a new team’s supply chain, logistics and development, something that many involved in the initial roll-out of the GTP class noted in the early days, weeks and months of the formula.
So could Genesis be targeting a phased roll-out in North America later in 2026, or even, with a full season of WEC racing under their belts, in 2027? Whilst nothing is yet certain, it seems that both are possible.
And whilst we are some distance away from driver selection being necessary, there appears to have been some movement already on that front. DSC has spoken to more than one current top class driver that has been in contact. It’s distinctly possible that we might see a name or two attached to that ELMS programme.
Watch this space…
