After unveiling a scale model last December in Dubai, and then a full-scale mock-up at the New York Auto Show in April, Genesis Magma Racing has now released the first image on track of the very first GMR-001 Hypercar built.
Following a key milestone on July 9, when the car was successfully fired up on schedule, the first of three development cars was completed by chassis partner Oreca in early August before being handed over to Genesis, the premium brand that Hyundai has selected for its step into sportscar racing.
The GMR-001 then made its debut run on Tuesday, August 5, at the Paul Ricard school circuit, followed by another outing three days later. Behind the wheel were Pipo Derani and Andre Lotterer, the only two drivers officially confirmed so far.
"We are at a time, where we seem to be passing milestones every day, but this is exactly what we must be doing," said Genesis Magma Racing team principal Cyril Abiteboul. "After planning for and talking about these moments for the last eight months, to be able to see a finished car running exactly as we planned is incredibly exciting.”
"We are also starting the process of moving into the new Genesis Magma Racing facility at Le Castellet [the manufacturer is renting a wing of the building belonging to IDEC Sport, the team that will run the cars]," Abiteboul added.
"The start of testing is the beginning of bringing the different streams of work together - the design and development of the chassis, the design and development of the engine, equipping a workshop and building the team."
The team will now embark on an extensive testing programme at circuits around Europe, with the first session set for the second half of August, again at Paul Ricard. Chassis partner Oreca will remain closely involved in the long-term project, supporting the development of the GMR-001.
"Every bit of running we do with the GMR-001 Hypercar in 2025 is extremely valuable," said Genesis Magma Racing technical director Francois-Xavier Demaison.
"The work in preparation that Andre and Pipo have done on the simulator and during the shakedown means that we have a good starting point for the first tests. Working with our chassis partners at Oreca throughout the testing and development, we can quickly take the data from each test, find a solution and validate it to be able to take full advantage of every moment."
Hyundai has continued its recruitment drive, having revealed the names of several key members of its organisational structure back in June at the Le Mans 24 Hours.
The GMR-001's racing debut is scheduled for March 28 next year at the 1812 km of Qatar, the opening round of the 2026 World Endurance Championship season.
That leaves the team just four to five months to develop the car before submitting it to the Automobile Club de l'Ouest/FIA homologation process, after which it will be more or less frozen.
