Le Mans Prototype

Lore & Background

The first use of what would become Le Mans Prototypes occurred at the 1992 24 Hours of Le Mans, when older Porsche 962s and small open-cockpit cars with production engines were allowed entry to increase the field. The ACO later announced plans to replace Group C cars with LMPs, creating two classes: LMP1 with large-displacement custom-built engines and LMP2 with smaller production-based engines, both initially requiring open cockpits. By 1996, manufacturers including Ferrari, Porsche, and Mazda had embraced the LMP and World Sports Car (WSC) classes.

In 1997, the first European series based on LMPs launched as the International Sports Racing Series, using classes similar to LMP1/WSC and LMP2, which the FIA termed SR1 and SR2. The following year saw the creation of the American Le Mans Series after the IMSA GT Championship ended, and the ACO eliminated the smaller LMP2 class while introducing a new closed-cockpit prototype class called LMGTP. LMP3 was introduced in 2015 as an entry-level class for young drivers and new teams, using closed-cockpit chassis with cost-capped components.

LMP1 was replaced by the Le Mans Hypercar class from the 2021 season, following the exits of Audi and Porsche from the FIA World Endurance Championship. Non-hybrid LMP1 cars were grandfathered for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Starting in 2023, Le Mans Hypercars were joined by Le Mans Daytona h (LMDh) cars, forming the top class of endurance racing: Hypercar in WEC and Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) in IMSA.

Reader's Guide

Le Mans Prototypes have been central to endurance racing since the early 1990s, replacing the Group C era and establishing a framework that balanced manufacturer involvement with cost control. The class structure evolved to include LMP1, LMP2, and LMP3, with LMP1 becoming the fastest closed-wheel racing cars in circuit racing before being superseded by Le Mans Hypercars in 2021. The introduction of LMP3 in 2015 provided a cost-capped entry point for teams and drivers, while LMP2 regulations were frozen from 2017 to 2020 with a single engine supplier and four exclusive chassis constructors to limit costs. The merger of ACO and IMSA rulesets into Hypercar and GTP classes from 2023 unified the top tier of endurance racing across continents. LMP cars have a maximum power of 500 kW and a minimum weight of 1,030 kg. The LMP2 class was slowed in 2021 to ensure a lap time gap to Hypercars, and new LMP2 regulations are planned for 2028. LMPC, an earlier entry-level class using identical Oreca FLM09 cars, ran from 2009 until 2017 but was dropped due to comparable costs to LMP2. The legacy of Le Mans Prototypes lies in their role as the premier closed-wheel endurance racing platform, fostering competition among manufacturers and privateers alike.

Did You Know?

• LMP1 cars were the fastest closed-wheel racing cars in circuit racing, though not as fast as open-wheel Formula One cars.
• From 2017 to 2020, all LMP2 cars used the same Gibson V8 engine and were built by one of four exclusive chassis constructors.
• The LMP1 class was replaced by Le Mans Hypercars from the 2021 season after Audi and Porsche left the FIA World Endurance Championship.