LMU Oreca 07 LMP2 ELMS Guide & Setups

While racing in the top-class Hypercar category is the dream scenario for every up-and-coming sports car racer, you can’t expect to be given the ride for nothing. You’ll either need to bring a handy bag of cash with you, which is rarely effective given that most teams involved are well-funded manufacturers, or prove yourself in lower classes. 

LMP2 is the ideal category for pilots seeking to showcase themselves for a World Endurance Championship Hypercar or IMSA GTP seat.

The most popular vehicle used in the class is the Oreca 07, which was included within Le Mans Ultimate upon its first Early Access release in February 2024. This was a heavily restricted version, though, and now the full-fat variant has been released as part of the new European Le Mans Series DLC. 

This Coach Dave Academy guide with run you through everything you need to know about the ELMS-spec Oreca 07 LMP2 car.    

The Oreca 07 Enjoys An ELMS Monopoly On The Class

Oreca is one of the biggest names in the general racing world, let alone in sports car racing. It has designed a range of top-flight prototypes over the years, such as the WEC overall race-winning Rebellion R13 LMP1, as well as the Oreca 01 LMP1.

It has also run privateer racing operations in the past, such as a Peugeot 908 HDi program during 2010 and 2011, the organisation even winning a race at Sebring in the latter campaign.   

When the ACO opened the tender for chassis manufacturers to build one of the four designated LMP2 chassis from the 2017 season, Oreca put forward a development of its 05 LMP2 chassis, the 07.

The 05 had already turned heads prior to the LMP2 ruleset becoming essentially a fixed-spec regulation, and the 07 picked up from where its forerunner left off after the company was accepted to become one of the four chassis suppliers. The 07 proved to be more effective and drivable than rivals like the Ligier JS P217 and Dallara P217, and it eventually took over. 

By the mid-point of the 2021 WEC season, every team running in the LMP2 category was using an Oreca 07. It was also dominant in the US-based IMSA Sports Car Championship, too, with other chassis turning up to challenge it only periodically.

The same story was true in the ELMS, which is now the main place you’ll find the vehicle racing as its premier category. The class was eradicated from the WEC ahead of the 2024 season due to the Hypercar category becoming oversubscribed, though they are still around in the IMSA Endurance events. It also still races at the storied 24 Hours of Le Mans, where it runs in a very different spec to the ELMS version. 

Car Specifications & Key Features

Due to the Hypercar machines being considerably slower than their LMP1 predecessors, the LMP2 cars needed to be held back to ensure they remained well off the pace of the premier class vehicles.

To achieve this, Oreca’s power was reduced, some weight was added, and the lower-downforce Le Mans-spec aerodynamic package was forced upon it for every race. Other than that, it uses the same naturally aspirated Gibson 4.2-litre V8 engine, which is placed in the middle and mated to a six-speed sequential gearbox.  

As the ELMS-spec LMP2 doesn’t have to race against the Hypercars, the ACO allows it to run in an unrestricted state. The main differences are as follows:

• The ELMS LMP2 runs with 600 hp, rather than the 560 hp of the WEC version
• The ELMS LMP2 car runs 20 kg lighter than the WEC version
• The ELMS LMP2 can use its traditional high downforce aero package at every track, which provides it with considerably more downforce 

LMU’s developers worked hard to perfectly replicate the Oreca 07 ELMS within the title, from the wheels to the Gibson V8.   

• This includes the special high downforce bodywork and aero kit that is now bespoke to the ELMS LMP2 machine
• It also runs to the same specs as the ELMS-spec Oreca 07, using the unrestricted Gibson V8 and lower weight figure 

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Handling & Performance on Track

In terms of pure performance, the LMP2 car sits between the LMP3 and Hypercar classes within LMU. With the full ELMS package equipped, the Oreca 07 possesses downforce and cornering potential on par, and sometimes superior, to the Hypercars.

It ends up being between one and three seconds a lap slower than them, depending on the track, due to the relative lack of power. Hypercars produce around 670 hp, 70 hp more than the ELMS Oreca.     

When compared to the WEC-spec Oreca 07, the ELMS version feels faster in every way. It’s quicker down the straights due to the extra power, while the more aggressive aero package ensures it can carry way more corner speed through medium and high-speed corners.

The extra downforce also ensures you can brake later than you can in the WEC LMP2 machine. The biggest difference you’ll notice is in medium and high-speed corners, as the ELMS LMP2 car wants to turn in much more readily, and tends to understeer much less when getting on power past the apex. All this occurs while carrying much more mid-corner speed, too.  

As a result, the ELMS Oreca 07 offers a more balanced driving feel due to the lack of high-speed understeer compared to the WEC car, making it easier to get the most from it despite it being much quicker over a lap.

That said, the rear-end can snap if you get a little too aggressive when tackling high-speed sections, especially if the tyres are overheating or wearing out. The slow-speed performance of the vehicle is comparable to that of the WEC machine due to downforce not making much difference, but it’s a little more responsive and agile thanks to being 20 kg lighter.   

• The ELMS Oreca 07 doesn’t lock up its front wheels as easily under braking due to its extra downforce, but make sure to brake in a straight line to further reduce the chances of locking
• The vehicle doesn’t have ABS, so locking is likely to occur if you don’t bleed off the pedal as the speed and downforce reduce as you approach the corner apex 
• Extra downforce means you need to learn to be more committed in medium and high-speed corners to make the most of it
• Despite having more power, the smooth Gibson V8 allows for excellent traction on corner exit, even on mid-table TC settings
• Traction is far superior at higher speeds due to extra downforce pushing the rear tyres into the road
• The vehicle tends to understeer rather than oversteer if you get on the power too early on exit, but a small bleed off the throttle should get the nose back in quickly, should you make a mistake 
• This attribute is particularly noticeable in slow-speed corners, but is still much less pronounced than it is in the WEC-spec version

Final Verdict: Is the Oreca 07 ELMS the Right Choice for You?

The ELMS LMP2 car is an excellent option for drivers interested in stepping up to the Hypercar class from the lower LMGT3 or LMP3 categories, but who want to learn how to drive a high-downforce prototype first. The LMP2 car allows you to get comfortable utilising more downforce, but without having to deal with the considerable extra power of the hypercars, or the complexity of staying on top of their battery usage.  

The ELMS-spec Oreca 07 LMP2 offers a more balanced driving experience than even the WEC-spec variant, despite being much faster around a lap. The extra downforce eradicates most of the understeer exhibited by its less-powerful sibling and makes it more consistent. Getting comfortable with the vehicle will set you up perfectly to make the transition to the Hypercar class in the future, negating the need for the huge step between entry-level machines that make up the LMGT3 and LMP3 categories and the premier class.  

If the ELMS LMP2 seems a little too extreme for your current experience level, then perhaps taking on the freshly-released Ligier JS P325 LMP3 car may grab your interest. Coach Dave Academy recently released an in-depth LMP3 guide on how to get the most from the baby prototype.

• Aggressive Drivers: 8/10
• Endurance Racers: 9/10
• Casual Sim Racers: 8/10

Wrapping Up

The ELMS LMP2 car is a better training tool for those wanting to move up to the Hypercar category, due to its comparable cornering ability, thanks to the reduced weight and added downforce it offers compared to its restricted sibling.

It’ll allow you to get used to extracting the most from a high-downforce prototype, but without the challenge of the extra power and complexity posed by the Hypercars. Once you successfully conquer the Oreca 07 ELMS, the premier class beckons.