Why Jacky Ickx joined Genesis Magma: "I love the idea of dying standing up"

Motorsport legend Jacky Ickx will offer his expertise to the Genesis Magma Racing team as the Korean luxury car manufacturer prepares to expand its presence in endurance racing. The team revealed its GMR-001 hypercar in New York this week, which will take on WEC and IMSA in the coming years with former Renault F1 boss Cyril Abiteboul at the helm. For Ickx, the project offers a rare opportunity to help establish a luxury marquee in the racing world from the ground-up. 

“When you receive a car that is already winning, things are easy. But challenges are the key of life - if things are easy, what’s the point?” he said. “I don’t see myself waiting for the telephone to ring. I love the idea of living in the present and the future. I love the idea of dying standing up, surrounded by something I like to do, and surrounded by a group of people who are doing a hell of a job,” the 80-year-old added. 

Genesis Magma Racing GMR-001 Hypercar

Photo by: Genesis

The technical pedigree of the team is already showing promise, so Ickx stressed that success will hinge on the people-first philosophy at the heart of the project. The eight-time grand prix winner likened the team structure to an iceberg, praising the engineers, mechanics, and other staff working beneath the surface. “Drivers are always on top, above the waterline, but below that level is a large group of people you’ve never met, who are doing the job,” he said. “You are nobody if you don’t have the right cohesion and the human aspect below that level.”

However, the project won’t be without its challenges. “To build a team that’s perfect, you have to deal with the natural ego … and you have to fight that ego to go towards a unique goal,” he explained. “We’re also facing the most talented and experienced companies who have been in [WEC and IMSA] for decades. That’s our challenge.” 

Luc Donckerwolke, Genesis’ chief creative officer, said the team also has a few unique advantages. “We don’t have any ballast. We are not trying to plug in new members to an existing team. We are building a team from scratch,” he said, before introducing the first “magma boys” Andre Lotterer and Pipo Derani, who bring a wealth of endurance racing experience. 

“Everyone is joining the team on the condition that they are absolutely compatible with the core team. That is one of the prerequisites in a highly competitive environment,” Donckerwolke explained, noting that they won’t tolerate any “internal tensions” between drivers or other team members. “It’s not going to be easy, but we want to make sure that we have a very strong, homogeneous team. That’s what I believe in.”