Le Mans Prototype

A Le Mans Prototype (LMP) is a type of sports prototype race car used in various races and championships, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), IMSA SportsCar Championship, European Le Mans Series (ELMS), American Le Mans Series (ALMS), and Asian Le Mans Series (AsLMS). Le Mans Prototypes were created by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO). The technical requirements for an LMP include bodywork covering all mechanical elements of the car. As of 2026, there are two classes within Le Mans Prototypes, designated LMP2 and LMP3. The LMP1 class was replaced by the Le Mans Hypercar class in the WEC and the 24 Hours of Le Mans from the 2021 season. Non-hybrid LMP1 cars were eligible to be "grandfathered" for two more seasons and compete alongside the new class for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. While not as fast as open-wheel Formula One cars around a track, the LMP1s were the fastest closed-wheel racing cars used in circuit racing. Le Mans Prototypes are considered a class above production-based grand tourer cars, which compete alongside them in sports car racing. Later, LMP1 designs included hybrid cars that use electric motors to assist acceleration. Starting from the 2023 season of the WEC and the IMSA SportsCar Championship, Le Mans Hypercars are joined by Le Mans Daytona h (LMDh) cars. These two kinds of prototypes will form the top class of endurance racing: Hypercar in WEC and Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) in IMSA.