Jacky Ickx took the wheel of the Genesis GMR-001 Hypercar

The surprise was total for the six-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Manswho had the opportunity to discover a GMR-001 Hypercar painted in the colors of his legendary midnight blue helmet. At 81 years old, Ickx thus took the wheel of the new Hypercar in the peloton WEC 2026 on the Paul Ricard Circuit, a stone's throw from the Genesis facilities, in Signes, in the Var.

"It's indescribable. When I opened the garage door, I saw something I absolutely never imagined I would see.", explained the Belgian legend in a video published by the team. "I discovered the Genesis Magma Racing Hypercar, but with a midnight blue livery and a white stripe. It was an incredibly touching moment."

A link between the past, present and future of the competition.EnduranceJacky Ickx discovered the world of modern Hypercars, surrounded by the entire Genesis Magma Racing team, including one of its six drivers, André Lotterer. The German, who grew up in Belgium, is something of a disciple of Jacky Ickx, and it was he who had the honor of raising the lollipop to send the Belgian driver onto the track for the first time in the GMR-001 Hypercar.

“Living in the present is the most important thing for me, because I was able to share my passion for motorsport by driving this car. And for someone like me who is very focused on the human aspect of this sport, feeling such affection from the whole team was truly unique.”

As a Genesis brand ambassador since early 2024, Jacky Ickx will of course be present for Genesis' first participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans this June. The Korean brand arrives in Sarthe fresh from its first points finish, during the second round of the 2026 WEC season at Spa-Francorchamps.

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