Euisun Chung visits Le Mans to mark Genesis' debut race

Hyundai Motor Group chairman stops by GMR garage to encourage drivers, hand out gifts

Tours Genesis booth with executives, views exhibition vehicles

Meets FIA Endurance Commission president, watches race from pit lounge

Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Euisun Chung and Luc Donckerwolke, the group's chief design and creative officer, tour vehicles and exhibits on display at the Genesis booth in the Manufacturers' Village at Circuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans, France, on Saturday. [Joint press corps]

Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Euisun Chung traveled to Le Mans, France, to mark Genesis' debut in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, personally attending to race-day details in a show of his passion for motorsport.

Chung visited the season opener of the 24 Hours of Le Mans on Saturday, where he encouraged the Genesis Magma Racing (GMR) team and met with automotive figures from around the world.

The 24 Hours of Le Mans is a marquee round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), in which teams race around a 14-kilometer circuit for 24 hours, with the greatest total distance determining the winner. Genesis set its sights on becoming the first Korean automaker to finish the race, entering two GMR-001 hypercars.

That morning, Chung went through the GMR garage, meeting individually with drivers, mechanics and other team members to offer encouragement and hand out gifts he had personally prepared. He then inspected the race cars' engines and components before speaking with Jacky Ickx, Luc Donckerwolke and others about the race. Genesis said Chung showed strong interest in and love for motorsport throughout the visit.

Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Euisun Chung speaks with GMR team chief engineer Justin Taylor and team manager Anouk Abadi. [Joint press corps]

In the afternoon, Chung moved to the Genesis fan zone booth in the Manufacturers' Village alongside Vice Chairman Jang Jae-hoon, President Luc Donckerwolke and other executives, where they examined the exhibits on display. He took a close look at the box buggy concept model featuring Hyundai Mobis' e-Corner system, which had been introduced at a media conference the previous day.

The fully drivable box buggy concept drew considerable attention from spectators as it made its way around key zones within the Le Mans circuit.

Following the grid walk, Chung joined a VIP circuit parade for distinguished guests, riding in a vehicle provided by Porsche before attending the opening ceremony.

Before the race began, he also greeted key motorsport figures including Pierre Fillon, president of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest, and Richard Mille, chairman of the FIA Endurance Commission, then watched the race from the pit lounge.

Vice Chairman Jang Jae-hoon also visited Le Mans on Saturday to encourage the GMR team and took part in the VIP grid walk and opening ceremony.

carrier@heraldcorp.com