Jacky Ickx on Genesis: “Expectations have been exceeded”

Two seventh-place finishes (including in the very second race at Spa) and one tenth-place finish, plus a sensational pole position in Barcelona – Genesis performed remarkably well as a newcomer to the WEC Hypercar class. ‘Advisor’ Jacky Ickx agrees. The six-time Le Mans winner and former F1 star (notably as a Ferrari driver) gave a positive assessment of the season. “I already had high hopes at the start of the season in Imola. But they were really exceeded. You have to bear in mind where we’ve come from. We’ve been successful in various areas – with lap times, with finishing positions, but above all with finishing races, in other words, reliability. Every team has its ups and downs, but overall we can say: we’re right up there!”, explained the Belgian, who will soon turn 82.

This raises expectations even further for next season: “The future begins tomorrow. Of course, the points and the pole position at Barcelona are wonderful, but the first major goal remains to win a race. Next year it will be even tougher with the two new manufacturers (Ford, McLaren, ed.). The crowning glory would be to win the ‘Holy Grail’ of motorsport, and that is Le Mans.”

The present is in no way comparable to the past, explained Ickx: “Endurance racing has changed completely in recent years. The term is actually misleading, because what we have now is a series of many sprints. The biggest challenge was building the team from scratch and bringing together the specialist staff. They all have to be on the same wavelength, like a philharmonic orchestra – nobody is allowed to make a mistake.”

Personally, he does not want to be called a brand ambassador, but rather a partner of the team: “That gives me more flexibility.” He was unable to offer help or advice, as the sport has changed completely. “What remains is the philosophy, the desire to win. That’s where I can make a difference.”

The F1 and Le Mans veteran sees the World Endurance Championship at its peak thanks to the huge interest from manufacturers, but he also warns: “We must be careful; the World Championship was almost dead once before. But it survived.” Thanks to new regulations for the Hypercars and GTs. And even at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, “fractions of a second now count.”