Here is the thing about endurance racing: just when you think you know the script, someone rewrites it entirely. Mathys Jaubert went out and claimed the very first-ever FIA WEC pole position for Genesis in Barcelona, piloting the #17 Genesis Magma GMR001 to a stunning result for the Korean manufacturer.
It was not an easy walkover either. A blistering time of 1m30.166s was just enough to outpace the #8 Toyota Racing TR010 Hybrid driven by Ryo Hirakawa. When the dust settled on the timing screens, an incredible 0.170s was all that separated the pair at the line.
The strength of the manufacturer's machinery was on full display throughout the day. Looking at the grid, the second row will see the second of the Genesis Magma Racing entries start third, lining up right ahead of the #35 Alpine.
Rewind just a bit to the earlier qualifying session, and it was Mathieu Jaminet who set the pace for Genesis by topping the times with a peak lap of 1m30.479s in the #19 Genesis Magma Racing entered Hypercar.
Not everyone had a smooth afternoon out on track. Both Aston Martins, Peugeots, and BMWs were unable to progress to the Hyperpole session. But the biggest surprise of all was the reigning champion Ferrari 499P driven by Antonio Giovinazzi failing to make the cut.
