Dani Juncadella stays with Genesis for 2027 WEC season, confirmed at his home race in Barcelona

Genesis Magma Racing has confirmed Dani Juncadella as its first driver for the 2027 FIA World Endurance Championship, keeping the Spaniard in the #19 Genesis GMR-001 Hypercar for a second season. The news was announced at a Genesis Motor Europe event in central Barcelona on Saturday 17 October, during the weekend of the first 6 Hours of Barcelona: his home race.

This is a contract extension, not a move. Juncadella, born in Barcelona in 1991, has raced for Genesis throughout 2026 alongside Paul-Loup Chatin and Mathieu Jaminet. He was confirmed for the 2026 squad in September 2025 and has contributed to the development of the GMR-001.

Race day in Barcelona: the 6 Hours start at 12:00 local time (CEST), 06:00 US Eastern. Preview and background: Preview: inaugural FIA WEC 6 Hours of Barcelona.

A rookie season at 35

2026 is Juncadella’s first year in the Hypercar class, and he does not pretend otherwise. “My first season in Hypercar has been a valuable experience,” he said in the Genesis press release. “As a rookie, even at 35, there were still a lot of things to learn.”

Before the step up, the FIA Platinum-graded driver raced in the WEC’s LMGT3 class, where he won a race in 2025. That same year he raced in LMP2 in the European Le Mans Series with IDEC Sport, sharing the car with Mathys Jaubert, now his team-mate at Genesis.

Genesis singles out one race in particular. According to the team, the previous round at the 6 Hours of Fuji was arguably his best performance of the season.

A Verstappen Racing driver in GT3

Hypercar is not his only programme. In the GT World Challenge he races the #3 Mercedes-AMG of Verstappen Racing, and on the Nordschleife he has shared the car with Max Verstappen himself, crossing the line first at NLS 2 in March. This weekend Verstappen took his seat in the #3 at the Portimão finale while Juncadella races the WEC at home: GetSpeed wins the Portimão finale as Verstappen recovers from 24th to ninth.

Announced on home ground

The timing was chosen with care. The announcement came in his home city during the WEC’s first visit to Barcelona, and Genesis links the moment to its planned entry into the Spanish market as part of its wider expansion across Europe.

“It’s great to receive this news at my home race,” Juncadella said, with his family and friends around to share it. “I’m already massively motivated for next season.”

Gabriele Tarquini, Sporting Director of Genesis Magma Racing, was equally clear. “Dani’s performances this season have been consistently impressive,” he said, adding that “his recent WEC experience has been very important to the team.” Tarquini said: “I’m very happy that we can confirm him for 2027,” and looked ahead to the rest of the year: “I hope we can achieve further milestones together in the final two rounds of this season.”

Both Genesis cars in the top three on the grid

The extension lands on a strong weekend for the team. On Saturday, Jaubert put the sister #17 Genesis, shared with André Lotterer and Luis Felipe Derani, on pole in Hyperpole with a 1:30.166, the first WEC pole for Genesis. The #19 of Juncadella, Chatin and Jaminet starts third with a 1:30.490. Full grid: WEC Barcelona qualifying and starting grid.

Our read

Confirming a driver before the season is even over says something about how Genesis rates its first year. A new manufacturer needs continuity as much as speed, and a driver who helped develop the car from its first laps carries knowledge that a fresh signing cannot bring. Naming him at his home race, in the city where the brand is about to start selling cars, also makes the sporting and commercial story one and the same. The open question is who joins him: Genesis has named only its first driver for 2027.

Two rounds left, starting today

Barcelona is the first of the final two rounds of the 2026 season. The #19 starts Juncadella’s home race from third on the grid today, and the current table is in our FIA WEC standings 2026. More on the driver himself in his Dani Juncadella driver profile.

The 2027 Hypercar grid keeps taking shape: McLaren has signed reigning F2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli for its debut WEC season.

Source: Genesis Magma Racing press releases of 17 October 2026 and 18 September 2025.

More on the FIA WEC: WEC 2026 hub, every 2026 race result, championship standings, the Hypercar class explained and how Hyperpole works.

Is keeping Juncadella the right call for Genesis, or should the team have chased a bigger name for 2027? Tell us in the comments.