Strong Pace Shows Growing Potential at Fuji
Genesis Magma Racing left the 6 Hours of Fuji without championship points, but with further evidence of the growing potential of the GMR-001 Hypercar. Starting third and fifth after wet conditions forced Qualifying to be cancelled, the team achieved its strongest grid positions of the season and showed competitive pace throughout a race shaped by changing conditions.
The #19 GMR-001 of Dani Juncadella, Paul-Loup Chatin and Mathieu Jaminet ran inside the top five for much of the six-hour race, with Juncadella holding third throughout the opening hour. The car remained in contention deep into the final hour before a slow Safety Car pit stop and a late drive-through penalty dropped it to 11th, narrowly outside the points.
The #17 car also demonstrated the team’s ability to fight back. After André Lotterer struggled for grip on an alternative medium-tyre strategy early in the race, Mathys Jaubert and Pipo Derani brought the GMR-001 back into top-ten contention. However, falling outside the prescribed tyre-pressure range as temperatures dropped and light rain arrived resulted in another drive-through penalty, leaving the car 15th at the finish.
Despite the final positions, Fuji delivered encouraging signs for Genesis Magma Racing. Both cars showed pace in dry, wet and mixed conditions, reliability remained strong, and the #19 competed with the leading Hypercars for much of the race. In a championship where small mistakes carry major consequences, the weekend provided another valuable step in the team’s first WEC season and clear evidence that the performance to fight at the front is taking shape.
“There were a lot of positives, of course. We were competitive in the dry, in mixed conditions and in the wet. We had a very good first half of the race. We were comfortably running around P4, so it was looking great. Unfortunately, the last pit stop was a bit of a chaotic one with the whole grid pitting all together, bunched up."
"I think overall it's still a strong weekend for us, even if we didn’t get the result that we wanted. We showed strong pace throughout the weekend, in wet conditions and in the dry. The #19 GMR-001 Hypercar was great. The top three in my stint were a bit faster than us, but we were doing what we needed to be capable of fighting with them."
Genesis Magma Racing targets further progress at Fuji
Genesis Magma Racing heads to the 6 Hours of Fuji on 27 September encouraged by its strongest WEC result yet. Seventh place for the #17 GMR-001 Hypercar at Lone Star Le Mans, with both cars finishing on the lead lap, underlined the team’s growing competitiveness.
That performance built on valuable milestones: the #19’s historic 13th-place finish at Le Mans and a first race without technical issues for either car in São Paulo, where penalties limited the team to 13th and 15th.
Fuji offers another opportunity to turn that progress into points. With pace and reliability increasingly established, sharper strategy, cleaner traffic management and fewer mistakes will be crucial. A first double points finish would mark another meaningful step, while expectations remain measured against an experienced and closely matched Hypercar field.
Save the date
Experience motorsports up close - live, intense, and without missing a single moment!
From the first free practice session on September 25 to the checkered flag, we’ll be broadcasting all the racing action live for you. Immerse yourself in the world of motorsports and follow every lap, every pass, and every decisive second in our live streams.
What makes this special: There’s a separate stream available for each of our cars. This way, you can experience the races from your favorite driver’s perspective and be right in the thick of the action at all times.
Experience WEC moments
Feel the pace before Fuji — cockpit-view highlights from previous races
A Legendary Blend of Speed and Strategy
The 4.6-kilometer Fuji Speedway is famous for its ultra-fast character, highlighted by one of the longest straights in motorsport at nearly 1.5 kilometers. Set against the backdrop of Mount Fuji, the circuit combines high-speed sections with demanding braking zones and a technical final sector. One of its signature challenges is the approach to Turn 1, where drivers arrive at top speed before braking heavily into a tight corner, creating some of the best overtaking opportunities on the track.
What makes Fuji Speedway unique is the balance between outright speed and precision. Drivers must maximize performance on the long straight while maintaining consistency through a series of flowing corners and slower technical turns. The circuit rewards confidence under braking, strong racecraft, and precise car setup. Its wide layout encourages different racing lines and strategic battles, often producing close competition and exciting wheel-to-wheel action.
Genesis Magma Program
WEC is where performance technology becomes measurable. Where reliability isn’t a claim - it’s a result.
WEC is where performance technology becomes measurable. Where reliability isn’t a claim - it’s a result.
Be the first to learn about new vehicles, innovations and brand updates.
UNLOCK GENESIS UPDATES