Hyundai's Genesis To Enter Endurance Racing Amid WRC Exit Speculation

Saajan Jogia | Sep 12, 2024

The no. 60- Acura ARX-06 is chased by the no. 01 Cadillac LMDh in the east horseshoe, Sunday January 29, 2023 during the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway Dtb Rolex Sunday Action 1 / David Tucker / USA TODAY NETWORK

Hyundai is venturing into endurance racing with the development of an LMDh prototype under its luxury Genesis brand. The announcement, made through a brief social media post on Thursday, revealed the plans but offered no additional details or a timeline for its debut in the series.

The announcement comes amid Hyundai's reluctance to commit to its future in the World Rally Championship (WRC) beyond the upcoming season, which precedes the end of the current regulatory cycle in 2026.

The social media post titled "Genesis to Enter Endurance Racing" stated:

“The LMDh programme will add a new pillar to Hyundai Motorsport’s portfolio.

“Since its establishment in 2012, Hyundai Motorsport has been competing in WRC and TCR with Hyundai N brand. 

“Genesis, the premium brand of the Hyundai Motor Group, will add endurance racing to the disciplines of its motorsport activities.”

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According to a report by Autosport, Hyundai is preparing to launch its new LMDh hybrid in the World Endurance Championship, with an anticipated debut as early as 2026. It has partnered with French firm ORECA to design and build its LMDh hybrid. ORECA, one of the four organizations authorized to develop LMDh chassis, will provide the core chassis for Hyundai's entry, similar to its work on the Alpine A424 and Acura ARX-06.

Gabriele Tarquini, the celebrated touring car driver and former Formula 1 racer, is poised to take on a senior management position within Hyundai's LMDh program. Tarquini, who secured the 2018 WTCR championship with the Italian BRC team, will bring his extensive experience to Hyundai’s new racing initiative.

The Korean manufacturer is expected to partner with an established racing team for its LMDh program and has been in discussions with several potential candidates. Among the teams being considered is DAMS, a single-seater team with a history of factory-supported programs for Panoz and Cadillac in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Chip Ganassi Racing, set to end its partnership with Cadillac after this year's WEC and IMSA seasons, is reportedly in discussions with Hyundai and is viewed as a strong candidate to oversee the IMSA side of Hyundai’s Genesis LMDh program. Hyundai is also exploring potential partnerships with Cool Racing, IDEC Sport, and TDS Racing, all of which race in LMP2 in the European Le Mans Series and at Le Mans.

Hyundai Motorsport, which has developed the engines for the company’s WRC and TCR cars, will handle the design of the internal combustion component for its hybrid powertrain. It is still uncertain whether this sports car program, managed from Hyundai Motorsport’s German base and known for its involvement in the World Rally Championship since 2012, will extend to both the World Endurance Championship and the IMSA SportsCar Championship.

Speaking of its WRC future, Hyundai Motorsport team principal Cyril Abiteboul emphasized last week that driver Thierry Neuville’s one-year contract extension does not imply an imminent exit from the WRC. He emphasized that Hyundai has the resources to manage two significant programs simultaneously.