Genesis Magma Racing has completed its driver line-up for the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship, confirming Mathieu Jaminet and Paul-Loup Chatin as the final additions to its Hypercar programme.
The Korean manufacturer will make its debut in the championship’s top category next March and has opted for a blend of proven experience and emerging talent as it prepares for its first season at the pinnacle of endurance racing.
With these latest signings, Genesis finalises a six-driver roster that will spearhead the two-car GMR-001 Hypercar effort.
The core of the Genesis Magma Racing WEC Hypercar programme ahead of 2026 debut
Genesis initially unveiled double world champion André Lotterer and two-time IMSA champion Pipo Derani as the leading figures of the programme. The team later strengthened the line-up by recruiting European Le Mans Series race-winners Daniel Juncadella and Mathys Jaubert in September. Now, the addition of Jaminet and Chatin completes the squad and brings further depth and experience to the project. Together, the six drivers provide a balanced mix of endurance racing expertise, prototype knowledge and long-term development potential.
Chatin brings Hypercar experience
Paul-Loup Chatin arrives with considerable experience at the highest level of endurance racing. The French driver has already made 15 starts in the FIA WEC Hypercar class and recently enjoyed success with Alpine. Notably, he formed part of the Alpine crew that secured victory at the 6 Hours of Fuji in September, the championship’s landmark 100th race.
In addition to his race-winning credentials, Chatin also offers valuable technical insight into the ORECA chassis platform that underpins the Genesis GMR-001 prototype. This knowledge could prove particularly beneficial during the team’s early development phase.
Furthermore, Chatin is already familiar with some of his future teammates. During the 2025 European Le Mans Series season, he competed in the sister IDEC Sport entry alongside the Genesis Magma Racing Trajectory Programme drivers.
“I’m truly honoured and proud to join the Genesis Magma Racing adventure in Hypercar,” enthused the three-time ELMS title-winner and 2023 IMSA LMP2 champion. “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 at 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 and I have full confidence in our team’s talent and determination to quickly move forward and fight for top positions.”
Jaminet adds global endurance pedigree
Mathieu Jaminet also arrives with an extensive résumé across international endurance racing. The Frenchman first established himself in GT competition before progressing to top-class prototype racing in both FIA WEC and IMSA.
Earlier this month, he completed his first test in the Genesis GMR-001 at MotorLand Aragón in Spain. During the session, he provided valuable feedback as the team continued refining the car’s performance and reliability.
“I’m very happy to be joining Genesis Magma Racing,” the Moselle native commented. “This is the start of a new chapter for me. I wanted to have a fresh start with new people to try to step up, but also to bring my experience 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.
“I had to adapt a little bit [in the test]. The car requires a different driving style compared to what I’m used to. It seems to like big corners, and 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 tried to not get too much feedback from the other drivers – I really wanted to start from a blank sheet of paper and form my own opinion, also for the engineers. I’m one of the most experienced drivers with LMDh cars and obviously I was in a different car not long ago, and I think I come in with a different perspective on a few things.”
Genesis Magma Racing finalising the 2026 WEC Hypercar crews
Although the full driver roster is now confirmed, Genesis Magma Racing has not yet finalised which drivers will share each of the two Hypercar entries.
Team management, led by Sporting Director Gabriele Tarquini and Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul, will evaluate driver performance and collaboration during upcoming tests before confirming the final crew combinations.
“The addition of Mathieu and Paul-Loup completes a well-balanced line-up for our debut season in FIA WEC,” commented Tarquini. “They are the perfect point between the experience we have in André and Pipo, and the potential we see in Mathys and Dani.
“The chemistry between drivers in the car is vital when it comes to success. Through the tests, we can see how they work together, 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 in both cars to help us to create the strong foundations we need as a team.”
Genesis Magma Racing will continue its preparations in the coming months as it builds towards its competitive debut in Qatar next March. For Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul, the strength of the driver roster already represents a major milestone for the young programme.
“We have an amazing line-up for Genesis Magma Racing’s first year in the FIA World Endurance Championship,” echoed Abiteboul. “The combination of drivers that we have secured far exceeds any expectation we had when we began this journey.
“It is a huge mark of the trust that 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 a project that is coming together very nicely.”
