Former DTM driver makes racing debut for Hyundai-Genesis in the World Endurance Championship
In an exciting turn of events, Spanish racing driver Daniel Juncadella has been announced as one of the drivers for Hyundai-Genesis in the World Endurance Championship (WEC). This marks a significant step in Juncadella's career, as he moves from the DTM to the top class of the WEC.
Juncadella, a well-known figure in German motorsport, has competed in the DTM from 2013 to 2021, and won a race for Mercedes in 110 participations. His impressive track record has caught the attention of Hyundai motorsport, who are entering the WEC and the 24 Hours of Le Mans with their Genesis brand, starting in 2026.
Juncadella expressed his excitement about the promotion, stating that it is a dream come true for him. He will join forces with Mathys Jaubert, another newly announced driver for Hyundai-Genesis, in the WEC.
Jaubert, a regular participant in various brand cups since 2021, has made a name for himself with his impressive performances. His biggest successes include being vice-champion in the French Porsche Carrera Cup in 2024 and a race win in the Porsche Supercup.
Cyril Abiteboul, the team principal of Hyundai motorsport, praised the performances of both Jaubert and Juncadella during their participation in the European Le Mans Series (ELMS). The Hyundai-Genesis team is filling their last two vacant driver seats for the WEC with experienced drivers to balance out the relative lack of prototype experience of Jaubert and Juncadella.
André Lotterer and Pipo Derani were already set as Hyundai pilots and have been involved in the development of the GMR-001 prototype. They will join Juncadella and Jaubert in the remaining tests before the 2026 season starts. Both drivers will gain their first experience with the LMDh car this year.
The Hyundai-Genesis Hypercar project has ex-Audi man Justin Taylor as chief engineer and Francois-Xavier Demaison as technical chief, who previously held this role at Williams. The brand has stated that they will announce the other Genesis drivers in the coming months.
Jaubert sees this as a big step in his career, a chance to measure himself against the best in the world. Juncadella, on the other hand, brings his GT3 long-distance racing experience to the table, having become vice-champion of the IMSA in the GTD-Pro class with Corvette in 2023.
It is worth noting that Jamie Chadwick is not a likely candidate for the second vacant cockpit due to her lack of experience in prototype racing. The latest print issue of the Motorsport Magazine features a closer look at Genesis' all-out attack on the WEC. (Advertisement)
The news of Juncadella's joining Hyundai-Genesis is a testament to the team's commitment to bringing in experienced drivers to compete in the WEC. With Juncadella, Jaubert, Lotterer, and Derani, the team is well-positioned to make a strong impact in the 2026 FIA WEC Hypercar program.
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