IT'S HAPPENING - Hyundai latest to jump into the endurance racing fire

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You just gotta love rumors in the racing game - they have roughly a 95% hit rate (not scientifically proven) and this latest one carries a ton of firepower behind it. The months and years of scuttlebutt is now reality - Hyundai will enter the endurance racing game with a Genesis-badged LMDh prototype.

The initial news release came with very little information from the manufacturer (go figure) and fans and outlets are trying to piece together the rest of the puzzle and answer some of the burning questions in the immediate aftermath. Hyundai kept it generic, saying that they will "add endurance racing to the disciplines of its motorsport activities." It's also important to note that they aren't brooming away their current racing divisions - WRC and TCR - rather they're adding the LMDh program to their existing foundation. 


Now that another major brand has committed to building a super-tuned high speed racing machine, we'll do our best to answer some of those giant questions we now happily face as race fans across the globe.

When will the car arrive on track?

The expectation is that the program will be up and running for the 2026 season.

Does "endurance racing" strictly mean running in the WEC? What about IMSA?

The Genesis LMDh will run in the WEC, what about IMSA? A number of other racing outlets fully expect the Genesis Program to develop and launch for competition in America as well although it isn't confirmed at the moment. On their IG page IMSA put up a post of their own announcing the arrival of the project  - 


They keep it super generic, too, also saying the Genesis brand is set to join 'endurance racing.' Does that mean a full season of races, or just the endurance rounds sprinkled throughout the calendar? 

Who will run the WEC/GTP program?

It seems Chip Ganassi Racing is the speculated team to run the program in both the WEC and in IMSA if it comes to be (there we go again with the rumors!)

What about the WECs two-car Hypercar policy coming in 2025? Will there be space on the grid?

(We feel we have to preface this when we start covering potential bad news - too many manufacturers fighting for space on the grid is a *good* thing).

The WEC has a mandate in place starting next season that every manufacturer has to run at least two cars in the Hypercar class. With Aston Martin joining the fray, while also operating under the assumption that 1) Isotta Fraschini will not be returning and 2) Lamborghini adds a second SC63 to the field, we're set to have nine manufactures competing in 2025, and Hyundai will eclipse double-digits in 2026. The WEC will have to raise the capacity space on the grid if we're going to fit all of these cars on track.

Is Lamborghini out of luck for IMSA 2025?

In the summer Lamborghini acknowledged that the No. 63 SC63 currently running in IMSA might have to be sacrificed to fill the two-car mandate in the WEC. If so, it'll suck cause we won't have Lambo in IMSA for 2025, but it would keep the program alive internationally in WEC. Could they take the year off in IMSA and return with a stronger program in 2026? Let's hope so. 

What is the forecast for privateer entries in the WEC?

The good problem we have with too many manufactures' fighting for space on the grid has a bad effect on privateer teams running Hypercars. Proton Competition and AF Corse want to keep their cars on track for 2025, but it doesn't feel like there'll be much room beyond that. With Aston Martin and Hyundai joining the battle, it's even less likely for 2026 and beyond, and soon we're going to see an all-factory supported Hypercar division at the top flight. Where will privateer teams go from there? They'll create their own Hypercar division, raced separately from the WEC with cocaine and hookers.

That's all we got for now, and there's no time to hang out because we're in Japan for the six hours of Fuji, let's get it. 


(photo credit - drive.com.au)


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