Bryan Herta Autosport: From TCR Underdog to Potential GTP Contender

📸 Photo credit © BHA 

After success in IndyCar, 2019 saw Bryan Herta Autosports (BHA) take a new direction and join forces with Hyundai to enter the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series. In the seven years the pairing has been on the grid, they’ve won six championships and shaken the world of touring car racing (TCR) around. Now, with a Daytona win under their belt, the pairing is only looking to grow and make its mark elsewhere. But, how did Bryan Herta Autosport turn Hyundai’s racing blueprint into Genesis’ Prototype future?

Underdog to Daytona Winners

Following the TCR migration from Europe to America, 2018 saw this new class join Sports Car Racing in both the Pirelli World Challenge and IMSA Continental Tire SportCar Challenge. Hyundai debuted in the former series with the i30 N TCR, partnering with Bryan Herta Autosports. 

Being the ‘new guys on the block’, many saw the Korean outfit as the underdogs as, whilst they were established in European racing, they were perceived to be a budget-friendly brand facing questions over reliability and competitiveness. 

Despite the underdog narrative, BHA and Hyundai were there to prove a point, and quickly became a force to be reckoned with. Winning the 2018 World Challenge, they moved to the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge in 2019 with the Veloster N TCR, and were winning races by round three. They won the class championship in their debut year, once again showing their speed and desire to win. 

Following five championships, 2025 marked a new first for the pairing as the no. 76 won the iconic BMW Endurance Challenge at Daytona. The team followed their season high with their sixth championship. With the grid being filled with global powerhouses such as Audi and Honda, many assumed Hyundai would fall to the back of the pack. But with BHA’s assistance, they not only powered to the front, they’re starting to set their sights on bigger competition.

Bryan Herta Autosport’s Brings Needed Infrastructure

Founded by former IndyCar race winner Bryan Herta in 2009, BHA has been growing year on year. Starting in IndyLights, the team quickly decided to tackle one of the historic races: the Indianapolis 500. In only their second outing at the triple crown race, Dan Wheldon secured the team their first win. After merging with Andretti, BHA would go on to secure another Indy500 win in 2016 with Alexander Rossi. 

After months of discussions in 2017, BHA joined forces with Korean manufacturer Hyundai. Together, the pairing have become an unstoppable force within touring car racing, but that’s not all BHA offers. With a deep knowledge of American racing, as well as the baseline for how to sell, BHA have become their U.S sales agent. Helping them sell their Elantra N TCR, they also provide key technical support to race teams. From order fulfillment to trackside support and advice, Herta’s team have been a key factor in Hyundai being recognised in American motorsports. 

The support and infrastructure that BHA has provided since the partnership began has elevated Hyundai’s position in motorsports. Together, they have become the benchmark operation in the Michelin Pilot Challenge paddock. 

The Next Step: LMP2

After seven successful years in the TCR class, 2026 sees BHA take on a new challenge. The team will make the natural progression into the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, within the LMP2 class. Announced in August 2025, Bryan Herta shared how this move will be incorporated into building a future-proof foundation for the team. The LMP2 class will aid BHA in developing their systems, as well as help them learn and grow ready for higher level competition. 

The Indiana-based team will stay with Hyundai for their Michelin Pilot Challenge campaign, but, for their new challenge, they will also partner with PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports—utilising the Oreca-07 for their one car debut. With a long-standing history within motorsports, French manufacturer Oreca have become one of the leading chassis providers for Le Mans Prototype cars in a range of series. 

But BHA’s move into this class isn’t just the natural progression of moving up. 2026 serves as a crucial research and development period for them. LMP2 is the stepping stone to test their programme and gain experience within alternative classes. If the year is successful, BHA could be looking at another partnership with Hyundai for their Genesis project. 

The Genesis Journey

Car brands often have many branches to cater to their differing clientele. And Hyundai is no different. Genesis is their luxury brand, and in 2024, they announced their plans to join the endurance racing scene. Working alongside Oreca to design the chassis, Genesis unveiled the GMR-001 during their announcement to compete in the 2026 World Endurance Championship. 

Genesis Magma Racing will debut in the Hypercar class, an innovative class based on the former LMP1 cars, this year. The team have already seen some success as they signed some key names in endurance racing, including former Rolex 24 winners Pipo Derani and Paul-Loup Chatin, and former WEC champion and three-time winner of the 24 hours Le Mans André Lotterer. These signings will aid the team in developing their presence on the grid, providing crucial information and support as the team grows. 

However, WEC isn’t the finish line for Genesis. After a solo campaign in 2026, the team will be expanding their presence in 2027 as they join IMSA. Genesis will be fielding its GMR-001 in the GTP class of the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, bringing Derani and Lotterer to the American series. Whilst the plans are there, team principal Cyril Abiteboul is honest about their progression, and they do not yet have a team to partner with for this campaign. Discussions are being had, and Abiteboul is certain that a decision will be made within the first quarter of 2026.

BHA: From Hyundai to Genesis

It’s only natural that Bryan Herta Autosport is at the forefront of the discussions for the Genesis team. Herta has shared his ambitions for joining the IMSA Genesis program: “We’ve got great interest … it’s certainly something we’ve discussed.”

With a strong history in American motorsports, BHA have brought over 50 people into TCR race weekends with backgrounds in a range of series. Their infrastructure has proved vital in Hyundai’s recent success, and the pairing is growing stronger with each season. This year will be a pivotal moment for both BHA and Genesis as they look to gain strength – BHA in operating the high-downforce prototype cars, and Genesis in testing their new GMR-001. 

Bryan Herta Autosports has shown it can take a small, new team to the top of the pack. From their relationship with Hyundai to their growing foundations and proven winning culture, BHA could become the natural North American base as they join the world of IMSA. Together, BHA and Hyundai have been rewriting the expectations within TCR. The minds that dominated the Michelin Pilot Challenge are now scaling up to learn how to tackle prototype cars. 

Whatever the decision is, it won’t be a rushed one. Whilst nothing is confirmed, their history and track-record makes BHA the logical team for Genesis to partner with. A continuation of the fruitful Hyundai pairing would strengthen the bonds and what they’ve achieved. From the underdogs to the leaders, BHA could provide the needed alliance for Genesis to repeat the pattern in a new category.