Jacky Ickx returns to Bathurst with Genesis
Jacky Ickx will drive the Genesis X Gran Berlinetta Concept in its global racetrack debut at the Bathurst 12 Hour endurance race (31 January to 2 February 2025). Ickx will complete a series of spirited demonstration laps across the weekend.
The Concept was first shown at the 2023 Gran Turismo World Series World Finals in Barcelona, Spain. It was created as part of Polyphony Digital’s Gran Turismo series and has been available to race in the virtual world of the game since January 2024.
The Genesis GV60 Magma Concept will also cut laps at the Bathurst 12 Hour, having recently won its class at the famous Goodwood Festival of Speed.
The bold-looking and ballistic-performing GV60 Magma Concept (below) demonstrated its capabilities at the Goodwood Hillclimb, claiming a class win in the four-seater production car category, and taking 16th place overall in the weekend’s shootout.
The GV60 Magma is on track to enter production later this year, becoming the first Magma model to go on sale. Genesis ultimately aims to develop a high-performance Magma model for each production vehicle in its lineup, maximising aesthetics and performance.
Ickx’s motorsport career spans formulae and eras. He started by racing motorcycles in 1960 before accelerating into Formula 1 in 1967, winning eight races and scoring 25 podiums.
The Belgian simultaneously tackled endurance racing, winning Le Mans a then-record six times, and in 1977 achieved his famous Bathurst 1000 win at his first visit to the track, co-driving with Allan Moffat in an XC Ford Falcon V8.
Head of Genesis Motors Australia, Justin Douglass, said he was thrilled to have Ickx on hand for the racetrack debut of the X Gran Berlinetta Concept and the GV60 Magma Concept.
“With his phenomenal achievements over many years, his unique knowledge and a contributing strong desire to influence the automotive landscape, Jacky aligns perfectly with our brand,” said Douglass.
“As a prominent figure who has been consistently ingrained throughout the evolving automotive performance landscape over the years, it is an honour to have Jacky on board to help shape the future of Genesis.”
Ickx said he is excited about tackling ‘the mountain’ again, more than 40 years after his victory at one of global motorsport’s most iconic races.
“I have always admired Genesis for its cultured elegance and design aesthetics and sincerely believe in a relationship that is founded on authenticity and admiration for each other,” he said.
“I have also long admired Mount Panorama at Bathurst as one of the world’s great motor racing venues, and I can’t wait to put the incredible Genesis X Gran Berlinetta through its paces, for all the world to see.
“What I loved the first time was the atmosphere of Bathurst, it’s very special. The people are really passionate for motor racing. The success of the event is created by the public and the spectators and that was what was so nice about Bathurst.”
Genesis recently announced the launch of Genesis Magma Racing, which will compete in the 2026 World Endurance Championship, followed by the IMSA Sports Car Championship in 2027.
