Genesis Magma Racing secured its first pole position in the FIA World Endurance Championship on 17 October 2026, with Mathys Jaubert driving the No. 17 GMR-001 to the top of Hyperpole at Barcelona. His 1:30.166 lap put the Korean manufacturer's LMDh prototype 0.170 seconds ahead of the No. 8 Toyota for Sunday's six-hour race.
The result carried extra weight because Genesis is still in its debut WEC season. Both of its Hypercars reached the final qualifying shootout, and the sister No. 19 GMR-001 qualified third with Mathieu Jaminet at the wheel. Toyota's Ryō Hirakawa therefore found himself sandwiched between two cars from a programme that had not contested a world championship race before 2026. Only 0.324 seconds covered the leading Genesis and Jaminet's third-place effort.
Genesis had already shown its pace before the decisive session. Jaminet topped the initial qualifying segment, while Jaubert advanced in third. During the ten-minute Hyperpole, Jaubert first set a 1:30.329 and then improved to 1:30.166. Both laps were quick enough for the top starting position. The progression made the result more convincing than a single exceptional lap in changing conditions.
Jaubert was 21 when he took pole, making him the youngest driver to secure an outright WEC pole position, according to the championship organiser. He shares the No. 17 car with André Lotterer and Pipo Derani, whose endurance-racing experience contrasts with the Frenchman's relative youth.
The No. 35 Alpine A424 qualified fourth, followed by the No. 12 Cadillac V-Series.R. Robert Kubica's No. 83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P took sixth, making it the highest-placed Ferrari in the Hypercar order. Neither of the Aston Martin Valkyrie entries advanced to Hyperpole, underlining how little room there was for mistakes in the qualifying session.
Genesis began its maiden campaign by bringing both cars home at Imola, scored its first championship points at Spa and then finished the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Barcelona pole marks another measurable step forward for the GMR-001 project. It is not yet evidence of a race win: the six-hour event itself was scheduled for 18 October, and endurance pace, traffic and strategy would present a different test.