Biiiiig BIG news coming out of the Studio 397 stable this afternoon for you!
Le Mans Ultimate gets an official release date for Version 1.0 of the game and they announce that European Le Mans Series content is coming soon. Plus they have the brand-new career mode on the way, two brand-new cars that everyone will get FOR FREE and more. Let’s get suck in people.
Version 1.0 – You’ve all be dying for it!
The full release of Le Mans Ultimate on July 22nd will bring not just polish and performance upgrades, but also exciting new content – 2 high-profile additions will debut in the 1.0 update:
The Aston Martin Valkyrie LMH – A dream car come to life. With its screaming 6.5L naturally aspirated V12, the Valkyrie delivers the raw, unforgettable drama of top-tier motorsport.
Developed by Aston Martin and THOR from the Valkyrie production model, the LMH version is the only car in the WEC’s premier category derived from a road-legal hypercar ,and is also the only car built to Hypercar homologation that competes simultaneously in WEC and the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship.
And also joining the grid is the Mercedes AMG LMGT3 – The legendary three-pointed star returning to Le Mans racing for the first time since 1999 under the first customer team to run the AMG in WEC – Iron Lynx.
Finding success in every other form of GT3 racing series around the world, the Mercedes AMG GT3 will be upgraded to LMGT3 spec, requiring homologation modifications like torque sensors on the drive shafts and aero adjustments, hoping to replicate that success in the coming years.
Both cars will be free for all players. Le Mans Ultimate will also include all 2025 official liveries in the update at no cost. Consider it a thank-you to all those supporting them through the Early Access journey.
European Le Mans Series
The European Le Mans Series is a cornerstone of the global endurance racing landscape. Often considered the proving ground for teams and drivers aspiring to reach the 24 Hours of Le Mans, ELMS features a rich variety of entries, thrilling multiclass racing, and some of the most legendary circuits in Europe.
From tight LMP2 showdowns to ultra-competitive LMGT3 battles, the series delivers wheel-to-wheel action across races that balance sprint-like intensity with long-distance strategy. It’s a fan-favourite for a reason, and bringing the series to Le Mans Ultimate feels like a natural evolution of the game’s DNA.
What to Expect?
- New iconic tracks – Silverstone, Paul Ricard (Le Castellet) and Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya
- New LMP3 category
- Official liveries and team entries
- LMP2 in higher-powered ELMS specification
As with all content in Le Mans Ultimate, Studio 397s aim is to deliver ELMS with the same laser-scanned track accuracy, vehicle detail, and physics realism that you expect.
When Will ELMS Be Released in Le Mans Ultimate?
LMU be sharing more information in the coming months on release timing, pricing, and how ELMS content will be made available to players. Watch this space.
A Growing Universe of Endurance Racing
With the 2023 and 2024 WEC seasons already in-game, and 2025 on the way with the version 1.0 release on July 22 – adding ELMS is the next step in building the ultimate endurance racing simulation.
New Career Modes
One of the most exciting new features in development is a single-player Career Mode, currently in early production. This immersive new mode will let players step into the shoes of an endurance driver, take on team roles, climb the ranks, and experience career-impacting choices based on race results. Driver swaps will also play a key role.
Le Mans Ultimate are aiming to release Career Mode in Q1 2026, and they’ll be sharing more details in the months ahead. Here are some pre-production images to look through:
A New Chapter Begins
Le Mans Ultimate want to let you know that Version 1.0 doesn’t spell the end of development, but just the beginning of big plans for the sim! They want to deliver everyone the very best endurance game ever made. Version 1.0 marks a new chapter for Le Mans Ultimate and they want to continue building on the early success of the sim.
Studio 397 said “To everyone who played, streamed, raced, or gave feedback: thank you. We haven’t had big budgets or splashy campaigns, but what we have had is one of the most passionate and supportive sim racing communities in the world.”
