Genesis announces plans to enter the top-level prototype class in endurance racing, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Details on partners and drivers are pending.
Genesis is gearing up to make a significant move into endurance racing. Hyundai Motorsport recently revealed its intention to field a team under the Genesis brand in the top-level prototype category of the World Endurance Championship (WEC). This marks a notable expansion for Hyundai Motorsport, which is currently active in the World Rally Championship and TCR touring cars.
Genesis highlighted that endurance racing offers a unique platform to demonstrate its advanced technology, design philosophy, and performance-oriented character. The top-level prototype class is known for its fierce competition among luxury brands, including Cadillac, Acura, Porsche, Lamborghini, BMW, and Ferrari. Genesis has yet to disclose specific details regarding technical partnerships, driver rosters, or the timeline for its debut on the track.
The news was initially shared through an Instagram post by the FIA, the governing body for the WEC, which includes the renowned 24 Hours of Le Mans. The FIA noted that Genesis’ participation is pending approval from the WEC Selection Committee.
Genesis plans to compete under the LMDh (Le Mans Daytona h) regulations, which are used for GTP prototypes in the IMSA SportsCar Championship, known for the 24 Hours of Daytona. Although the LMDh and LMH rules differ, the 2023 regulations allow both LMDh and LMH cars to compete in both IMSA and WEC events. This suggests that Genesis may participate in both series. There is speculation, reported by racer.com, that Genesis could partner with Chip Ganassi Racing for its endurance racing campaign.
While Hyundai and Genesis have not yet competed in endurance racing, they have previously shown interest with a series of concept cars. Last year, Genesis introduced the X Gran Berlinetta concept for the Vision Gran Turismo series and, more recently, the X Gran Racer with enhanced track-ready aerodynamics. Hyundai also showcased the N 2025 Vision Gran Turismo, a dramatic prototype race car for the Gran Turismo video game. Despite these concept cars potentially differing from the actual race vehicle, it is clear that Hyundai has been preparing for an endurance racing program for some time.
