The Ultimate Guide to LMP3s in Le Mans Ultimate

Le Mans Ultimate’s recent European Le Mans Series-focused DLCs were welcomed for the additional tracks brought to help boost the title’s circuit roster; the new content was also prolific for introducing an all-new class to Le Mans Ultimate. 

Hypercar, LMP2, and LMGT3, alongside GTE, made up LMU’s vehicles of choice before September 2025, then LMP3 joined the party. 

These new prototype cars introduced a new driving experience to LMU, and allowed drivers another way to explore the breathless world of endurance racing. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about the class and why its inclusion at LMU is a landmark event.  

LMP3 In The ELMS

LMP3, as the name suggests, sits below the Hypercar and LMP2 classes in both real life and in LMU. Cars built to LMP3 regulations boast less power and downforce than the higher categories, meaning they sit nicely as the third rung of the ladder. This makes it a perfect stepping stone for GT drivers, as the difference between an LMGT3/GTE and an LMP2 vehicle is vast. 

The LMP3 has a little less outright power than a GT car, but way less weight and considerably more downforce. This makes it a little quicker down the straights, but much faster in medium and high-speed bends. As a result, it’s the ideal learning machine for those looking to move into the prototype class from the GT categories. 

This is the same as real life, with LMP3 cars mainly racing in series like the European Le Mans Series, Le Mans Cup, and IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge, all of which sit beneath the premier World Endurance Championship and IMSA SportsCar Championship fixtures. 

In 2025, only the European-based ELMS and LMC ran the new-for-2025 LMP3 regulations, with the IMSA VP championship adopting them for its 2026 campaign. 

Like LMP2, a total of four constructors build chassis conforming to LMP3 regs.

• The Ligier JS P325 is the most commonly seen LMP3 car, with the vast majority of teams opting to run it.
• The Ginetta G61-LT-P3 is much rarer, with just a single entry appearing in the ELMS and LMC, respectively.
• The Duqueine D09 is only run by a single team in the ELMS, but is much more popular in the LMC.
• The Adess AD25 is much rarer, and didn’t feature in the 2025 ELMS season – meaning it won’t be coming to LMU for the time being.

LMU also has the honour of being the first simulation title to feature the third-generation LMP3 cars in its ranks, with other sims that feature the LMP3 class coming with either of the V8-powered first or second-gen machines. 

How To Get Them In LMU

In order to drive your LMP3 machine of choice in LMU, you’ll first need to purchase it. There are a couple of ways to obtain them.

The most cost-effective way to get them is by purchasing the 2025 ELMS Season Pass, which will cost you £21.99. This will get you all three LMP3 cars that raced in the 2025 ELMS, but also the three additional tracks that featured in its 2025 calendar. If you want a specific LMP3, you can buy a specific part of the DLC. 

• 2025 ELMS Season Pass: £21.99
• 2025 ELMS Pack 1: Features Ligier JS P325 and Silverstone: £8.99
• 2025 ELMS Pack 2: Features Ginetta G61-LT-P3 and Circuit Paul Ricard: £8.99
• 2025 ELMS Pack 3: Features Duqueine D09 and Circuit Barcelona Catalunya: £8.99 (Expected early 2026 release)

Car Specifications & Key Features

As essentially a feeder category into the faster prototype classes, LMP3 cars are designed to be as close as possible in terms of performance. Each chassis is built to a tight technical regulation, which forces each to use the same engine and similar downforce outputs. Prior to 2025, LMP3 cars featured a Nissan-based 5.6-litre V8 engine.   

As part of the new 2025 regulations, the ageing Nissan unit was replaced by a 3.5-litre twin-turbocharged Toyota V35A unit. Thanks to the magic of forced induction, the Toyota unit produces an extra 15 hp over the Nissan V8, despite dealing with a much smaller displacement. 

By regulation, the powerplant has to be placed in the middle of the car, and sends its power to the rear wheels via a six-speed sequential transmission. Aside from using the same engine, each LMP3 does without any form of ABS system, though adjustable TC is included. 

• The cars themselves are very similar to their V8-powered predecessors, with only minor cooling and electrical alterations being made to accompany the new V6 engines.

If you fancy reading into each of the vehicles in greater detail, then RaceControl.gg has you covered with guides for the Ligier JS P325 and the Ginetta G61-LT-P3. 

Handling & Performance on Track

Given their technical similarities, it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise to learn that the LMP3 vehicles featured in LMP3 all feature similar basic handling characteristics to one another.

• Trailbraking is important, as the front wheels have the tendency to lock when turning in with the brakes on at slower speeds.
• General understeer balance at all speeds, and especially when on power.
• Onboard TC tends to keep the rear end in check under acceleration, middling TC settings give a good compromise of slip and traction in most conditions.
• More grip and manoeuvrability in slow-speed corners than LMP2/Hypercars, but much more grip in medium/high-speed corners than GT classes.

That said, there are some differences between each chassis.

• The Ginetta G61 rotates more naturally in most situations than the Ligier JS P325, making it easier to trailbrake into corners without locking the front tyres.
• The Ligier has a more planted rear-end, which means you can be more aggressive when flicking it into high-speed corners.
• This makes the Ginetta stronger in most situations, as well as more approachable for less experienced LMP3 pilots.
• The Ginetta G61 is also left-hand-drive, while the Ligier JS P325 is right-hand-drive. This ensures that the Ginetta offers superior visibility for the majority of corners, making it easier to spot apexes.

Final Verdict: Which LMP3 Is The Right Choice for You?

When it comes to choosing the ideal LMP3 with which to do battle, it comes down to the sort of characteristics you relish most from a race car. 

For most, the Ginetta G61-LT-P3 will prove the most effective. Its more natural rotation largely negates the biggest disadvantage you get from a modern LMP3, namely its tendency to lock the front wheels when turning into corners. 

This affords greater confidence, and allows you to more easily reach a consistent flow. Laptime will come easier as a result, as it demands less perfection to maintain laptime and not wreck the inside front tyre due to excessive locking. 

The Ligier JS P325 is trickier to extract laptime from, both over a single lap and over a stint. It does have a more planted rear end than the Ginetta though, which allows more aggressive drivers to flick the car in if that’s what you prefer, but watch out for snapping when you go too far. 

The Ginetta struggles with high-speed understeer at times, so this driving style can help you achieve more rotation here from the Ligier. At the same time, those with an aggressive driving style may struggle to prevent the inside front tyre locking up on corner entry due to turning in earlier than is required. 

The Duqueine D09 will be compared to the two models once it reaches LMU, which is expected to be sometime in Spring 2026. 

Ligier JS P325	Ginetta G61-LT-P3
More planted rear means you can be more impressive with flicking the car in to help get the nose to the apex, but watch out when tyres are overheating/worn	Has superior slow-speed rotation to JS P325, making it easier to carry extra speed through corners, as well as reducing the chances of locking up under braking
	Better visibility in most situations due to the LHD cockpit layout
	Front tyres are easier to preserve due to greater natural rotation
	Extra rotation also makes it easier to get into a consistent flow, which makes it great for longer stints in particular

Ligier JS P325:

• Aggressive Drivers: 6.5/10
• Endurance Racers: 7/10
• Casual Sim Racers: 5/10

Ginetta G61-LT-P3:

• Aggressive Drivers: 7.5/10
• Endurance Racers: 8.5/10
• Casual Sim Racers: 7/10

Wrapping Up

The LMP3 category is an excellent addition to LMU, primarily because it neatly completes the modern high-end sports car racing pyramid seen in reality. The different chassis all feature their own driving quirks, ensuring you aren’t essentially driving a re-skinned version of the same car. 

They’re also the perfect tools for less experienced drivers to work out the intricacies of driving a prototype without having to dive in at the deep end in the much more powerful and downforce-focused LMP2 and Hypercar categories. The LMP3 machines can be tricky to get the most from initially, but the reward is more than worth it once you finally become accustomed to their unique handling balance.