From WRC Perfomance Engineer to Genesis Magma Racing Strategist
Vincent Maes started his career in Hyundai Motorsport as performance engineer in the WRC team. At the end of 2024, he was offered the chance to join the endurance programme and transfer his role to strategist for Genesis Magma Racing. This is when his journey in the Trajectory Programme began.
How has the transition been for you—from rallying to endurance racing? And what skills have you had to develop for your new role?
I was offered the chance to join the endurance programme last November. Some skills transferred naturally, like programming, data analysis, and working closely with drivers. But endurance racing has its own specific demands – understanding stint lengths, energy consumption, and strategic preferences for qualifying and race scenarios. To get up to speed, I followed the LMP2 program and attended all the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) races, sitting alongside the IDEC Sport team. That hands-on exposure helped me prepare for my new responsibilities.
What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned through this transition, and what’s been the biggest surprise?
The biggest lesson was learning to stay calm during live race situations. In rallying, the car comes back to the service park, you download the data, and you have time to analyze and advise. In endurance racing, everything happens live. You’re on the pit wall, communicating in real time with the race engineer, making instant decisions. That shift – from delayed analysis to immediate action – was a major adjustment. As for the biggest surprise, I’d say the level of competition in the ELMS. It’s technically a feeder series for the World Endurance Championship, but the standard is incredibly high. It’s been eye-opening for me and I’m excited to see how much further it can go next year.
On a personal level, how did it feel when you were invited to join this project?
I was thrilled. It felt like a new challenge, and I’ve always had more affinity for circuit racing than rally. My first reaction was, “When can I start?” That enthusiasm was matched by curiosity—how could my skills be applied, and in what role? When I heard it would be strategy, I knew my background in performance and data analysis would be a great fit.
Before joining Hyundai Motorsport, was your experience more rooted in rally or circuit racing?
Actually, I come from an aerospace background. I did my Master’s in aerodynamics and machine learning, so I was already working with data, building tools, and predictive models—skills that are very relevant to strategy work. I also participated in Formula Student, which sparked my interest in racing and ultimately led me here.
Do you think someone recognized that your background in predictive modeling could be valuable in motorsport strategy?
Yes, definitely! For example, I built a tool to analyze driver performance based on their past data and presented it to the decision-makers. That led to the opportunity to join the team officially. It was a case of the right timing and being able to demonstrate what I could bring to the table.
