Mathieu Jaminet tested the Genesis Hypercar: “I had to adapt a little”

Mathieu Jaminet is already at work. After announcing his departure from Porsche On October 31st, the French driver was officially announced by Genesis this Thursday morning. The reigning champion of theIMSA has even already had the opportunity to sit behind the wheel of the GMR-001 which he will drive in the World Championship.Endurance in 2026. 

The driver from Lorraine joined his new employer in Aragón from November 15th to 17th for an endurance test alongside fellow regular drivers André Lotterer, Pipo Derani, Mathys Jaubert, and Dani Juncadella, as well as reserve and development driver Jamie Chadwick. Only Paul-Loup Chatin, whose signing was also officially announced on Thursday morning, was absent. Jaminet completed several stints throughout the test, allowing the team to take a major step forward in validating its reliability, essential for its first steps in competition. WEC.

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« I had to adapt a little bit, said Jaminet after his first laps at the wheel of the GMR-001, an Oreca-chassis LMDh.The car demands a different driving style than what I'm used to. It seems to love sweeping corners. It's quite enjoyable, actually. At this stage, every lap is crucial for a driver. You have to understand all the systems, all the buttons on the steering wheel, and all the procedures. »

« I think I'm coming back with a different perspective on certain points. the former Porsche driver believes. I'm one of the most experienced drivers with LMDh cars, and obviously, I was recently in a different car altogether. I tried not to take too much feedback from the other drivers – I really wanted to form my own opinion, for the engineers' sake as well. The idea was not to give myself too much information, so I could really start from scratch and tell them what I thought. »

The performances and feedback of the drivers, as well as the working dynamics with the other members of the line-up, will be evaluated by the management of Genesis Magma Racing, led by sporting director Gabriele Tarquini and the team principal Cyril Abiteboul, in order to determine the exact composition of the two crews entered in the FIA ​​World Endurance Championship.

« The connection between the drivers in the car is essential for success. Tarquini explained. As the tests progress, we can see how the drivers work together, how their driving styles and setup preferences complement each other, and how relationships begin to develop before we finalize our driver lineups for the season. The goal will be to ensure we have the best possible driver group in both cars, laying the solid foundation we need as a team. »

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