The Best LMP3 Car in Le Mans Ultimate Guide

Le Mans Ultimate’s LMP3 class now gives you three lightweight prototypes to choose from, all sharing the same Toyota twin-turbocharged V6 engine and six-speed sequential gearbox. On paper, they’re near-identical. On track, they feel surprisingly different.

The tight regulations mean there’s no Balance of Performance and the rules themselves keep the cars close. The differences come down to chassis design, aerodynamic philosophy, and suspension geometry. These sound like small details, but they translate into meaningfully different driving experiences that will suit different types of drivers.

This guide by Coach Dave Academy breaks down all three of Le Mans Ultimates LMP3 cars, compares them head to head, and helps you decide which one to commit your seat time to.

Quick Verdict: Which LMP3 Car Should You Pick?

What All Three LMP3 Cars Share

Before getting into the differences, it’s worth understanding just how much these cars have in common. The LMP3 regulations are deliberately restrictive:

• Engine: Toyota twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre V6
• Gearbox: Six-speed sequential transmission
• Drivetrain: Mid-engine, rear-wheel drive
• ABS: No ABS in all three cars
• Traction control: Settings between TC 3-5 across all three cars

Because the powertrain is identical, the cars feel the same under acceleration. The torque curve is the same across all three, and the twin-turbo unit can break traction on lower TC settings if you’re aggressive with the throttle. Where they diverge is in how the chassis and aero handle the corners.

All three LMP3 cars sit between the LMP2 and the LMGT3 class in terms of outright pace. They have more downforce and less weight than GT3 machinery, but less of both than the LMP2 and Hypercars.

The Best All-Round LMP3: The Duqueine D09

The Duqueine D09 is the newest LMP3 to arrive in Le Mans Ultimate and it immediately sets the benchmark. Of the three cars, it’s the most neutral, the most accessible, and the one we’d recommend to most drivers whether you’re new to prototypes or experienced and looking for consistency.

How It Drives

The D09 feels balanced and predictable. Its nose guides itself towards apexes more smoothly than either rival, with an eagerness to turn in that the stiffer Ligier lacks. At the same time, the rear is planted and confidence-inspiring, and you can commit to corners without worrying about sudden snaps.

This neutral balance comes into focus most clearly in slower bends, which is where the different chassis designs are truly highlighted. In fast corners, all three LMP3 cars feel fairly similar thanks to their shared aero characteristics, but in the technical sections, the D09’s willingness to rotate cleanly gives it an edge.

Strengths

• The most neutral handling of the three LMP3 cars
• Planted rear gives confidence under braking and on turn-in
• Easiest to drive consistently with fewer surprises over a stint
• Less likely to snap over kerbs compared to rivals
• Smooth, eager turn-in without needing to manipulate the rear

Weaknesses

• Right-hand drive layout means visibility is inferior to the left-hand drive Ginetta on most circuits
• Less rear rotation available than the Ginetta for drivers who like to use the rear to help turn the car

Who Should Drive It

The D09 is the right choice for drivers new to LMP3 who want a car that does what you expect it to do. Its predictable balance means you’ll get into a rhythm quickly without fighting the car. It’s also an excellent endurance choice, and the stability and consistency pay dividends over long stints where mistakes are costly.

The Low-Speed Specialist: Ginetta G61-LT-P3 Evo

The Ginetta was the second LMP3 to arrive in LMU and it brings a distinctly different character to the D09. Where the Duqueine is neutral and planted, the Ginetta has a livelier rear end that rotates more naturally, which is both its greatest strength and its biggest challenge.

How It Drives

The Ginetta rotates more willingly than either the D09 or the Ligier, particularly in slow corners. The front bites into apexes with less effort, which means you can carry more entry speed into tight bends. This is a genuine advantage at technical circuits where slow-speed rotation is everything.

The trade-off is that the Ginetta understeers more at mid-corner and exit in faster bends. Where the Ligier’s aero package provides a bit more high-speed rotation, the Ginetta pushes wider. This means you need to be more deliberate with your throttle application to avoid generating understeer on corner exit.

The Ginetta is left-hand drive, which gives it a visibility advantage over the right-hand drive D09 and Ligier on most circuits, and that might be enough to make it your first pick if you can’t get used to the D09. For a car without ABS where visual braking markers matter, this is a meaningful practical benefit.

Strengths

• Best low-speed rotation of the three LMP3 cars
• Left-hand drive layout provides better visibility of apexes
• Strong front-end bite on corner entry, making it easier to carry speed
• A looser rear end that can be played with to carry extra momentum

Weaknesses

• Tends to understeer at mid-corner and exit in faster bends
• The lively rear can catch less experienced drivers off guard
• Less planted overall than the D09, which can hurt consistency over longer stints

Who Should Drive It

Drivers who enjoy using the rear end to help rotate the car will love the Ginetta. It rewards a more active driving style in slow corners and feels alive in a way the more buttoned-down D09 doesn’t. It’s also the pick for anyone who values left-hand drive visibility. However, less experienced prototype drivers may find the D09’s neutrality easier to work with.

The Hardest To Drive: Ligier JS P325

The Ligier was the first LMP3 to arrive in Le Mans Ultimate and it remains the dominant chassis in real-world LMP3 racing. Eight of ten ELMS entries and 33 of 45 Le Mans Cup entries run the JS P325. In LMU, it’s the most rewarding of the three at high speed, but the hardest to drive overall.

How It Drives

The Ligier feels like a GTE car on steroids. It has a strong aero platform that makes it playful and stable through medium and high-speed corners, with good rotation that allows you to adjust the car’s attitude mid-corner using the throttle without upsetting the balance too dramatically.

The problems come at lower speeds. The JS P325 feels stiff and sometimes hesitant to dive towards the apex, which is the opposite of both the D09 and the Ginetta. The rear end is also the most challenging of the three as it likes to slide out under both braking and acceleration, and when it snaps, it goes aggressively. Preventing a spin once the rear lets go is significantly harder than in either rival.

This makes the Ligier the most demanding LMP3 to drive consistently. The high-speed sections reward you, but the slow-speed corners and the unpredictable rear mean you need to be fully committed and precise with every input.

Strengths

• The strongest aero platform of the three, stable and playful through medium and high-speed corners
• Good mid-corner rotation at speed, allowing you to adjust the car’s attitude on throttle
• Dominant in real-world LMP3 racing (8 of 10 ELMS entries), reflecting a strong overall package
• Rewarding when driven at the limit by an experienced driver

Weaknesses

• The hardest LMP3 to drive as the rear snaps aggressively and is difficult to catch
• Stiff and hesitant to turn in at slower speeds compared to the D09 and Ginetta
• Less forgiving under braking and the rear can slide out unexpectedly
• Right-hand drive layout, same as the D09

Who Should Drive It

The Ligier is the pick for experienced prototype drivers only, who enjoy a car that rewards commitment at high speed, and are willing to manage a tricky rear end in the slow stuff. If you’ve already spent time with the D09 or Ginetta and want more of a challenge, the Ligier delivers. It’s not the car to learn LMP3 in but it might be the one you graduate to.

Get LMP3 Setups for All Three Cars

If you’re a Delta subscriber, you have access to professionally developed setups for every LMP3 car, automatically installed when you load into a session. Each setup includes driving data and reference laps so you can study the car before heading out on track.

Delta’s Auto Insights AI coaching will break down your driving corner by corner, showing you exactly where each LMP3 car’s characteristics are helping or costing you time. When you’re learning a new prototype or switching between the three, that targeted feedback is worth hours of guesswork.

Head-to-Head Comparison

A Note on Visibility: LHD vs RHD

This is easy to overlook but it matters with the LMP3 cars, particularly in a car without ABS where your visual reference points for braking are critical.

The Ginetta is the only left-hand drive LMP3, which gives it a better view of the apex on right-hand corners (the majority on most circuits). The D09 and Ligier are both right-hand drive, meaning visibility to the apex is slightly worse on most tracks.

It’s not a dealbreaker, but if you find yourself struggling with braking accuracy in the D09 or Ligier, the Ginetta’s visibility might genuinely help you.

Best LMP3 Car by Purpose

Final Thoughts

The LMP3 class in Le Mans Ultimate offers something genuinely different from the LMGT3 and LMP2 machinery most drivers spend their time in. These are light, quick, unforgiving cars that reward precision, and now with three distinct chassis to choose from, there’s a real decision to make.

The Duqueine D09 is our pick for most drivers. Its neutral balance and planted rear mean you spend your mental energy on driving fast rather than catching slides, and that translates directly into better results. The Ginetta is the car to move to if you want more involvement from the rear end and value that left-hand drive visibility advantage. The Ligier is there for the drivers who want to be challenged with its high-speed aero platform being the most rewarding of the three when you get it right.

Whichever you choose, give it proper seat time before you judge it. These cars reveal their character over 20 laps, not 2. Learn the braking points without ABS, find the TC sweet spot, and build your confidence before you start chasing tenths. The speed will come.