Genesis Rules Out IMSA GTP Debut Until 2028 at Earliest

Photo: Kulien Delfosse/DPPI

Genesis has ruled out entering the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship until 2028 at the earliest according to Genesis Magma Racing team principal Cyril Abiteboul, who has expressed concerns amid Acura’s pausing of its program at years’ end.

The Korean manufacturer, which is in its first season in the FIA World Endurance Championship with the GMR-001 LMDh car, was originally earmarked to join the GTP ranks next year, but has delayed that planned introduction multiple times for various reasons.

Speaking to assembled reporters at Le Mans on Tuesday, Abiteboul provided an update on where they stand when asked by Sportscar365.

“The first thing we really wanted to consolidate is WEC,” he said. “I’m a type of person who wants to do things step by step.

“I know that in motorsport you need to be vigorous; you need to be well organized.

“This program is a big program already, in particular in the way we wanted to do it.

“We decided to do it ourselves with our own people, and therefore taking a lot of time and attention and financial resources also but more time and attention from the management perspective to make sure that we do it right.

“Frankly, I wanted to go into this race in Le Mans to be able to assess where were and how we do against our plan.

“From that, we’ll be able judge what we should be doing next.”

Abiteboul added: “Having said that, we also need to look at IMSA itself. We need to look at the dynamic of the championship.

“Of course the news of Acura stopping, for us, not good news. We’d like to understand and see what the dynamic of the championship [is] and what the promoter’s position [is] on that.

“Because at the end of the day, it’s all about return on investment.”

Abiteboul, however, stressed the importance of the U.S. market for the brand and will use September’s Lone Star Le Mans WEC event as a test to gauge the level of interest.

“We will be doing a huge activation in Austin later this year,” he explained.

“I think this will be an interesting moment for us to decide if an expansion in IMSA [will happen], to see the response of the U.S. market, the engagement of the fans but also the local market opportunities, which the U.S. market is an important market for Genesis.

“Around that time we will make the decision of the timing of entry into IMSA.”

Abiteboul reaffirmed that a WeatherTech Championship GTP program is still part of the plan but fell short of outright confirming a more precise timeline.

“We need to listen to what’s going on in the world,” he said. “But it’s still our desire. Let’s see when we are in Austin how we’re feeling in the U.S. market and from there make the final decision.”

When asked if a debut in 2027, which he last indicated was still possible for an end-of-season effort, potentially around Motul Petit Le Mans, could happen, Abiteboul said: “It’s too early. We are now talking about 2028.”

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John