ELMS classes explained: LMP2, LMP2 Pro/Am, LMP3 and LMGT3
The European Le Mans Series runs four classes on track at once: LMP2, LMP2 Pro/Am, LMP3 and LMGT3. Each has its own cars or driver rules, its own results and its own titles, and each champion earns an invitation to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The colour of the race number tells you which class a car is in.
| Class | Car | Crew rule | Number colour | 2026 entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LMP2 | Prototype, Gibson V8 | At least one Silver, never two Platinum | Blue | 11 |
| LMP2 Pro/Am | Same prototype as LMP2 | At least one Bronze, never two Platinum | Cyan | 12 |
| LMP3 | Smaller prototype, Toyota V6 | Set in the regulations | Purple | 10 |
| LMGT3 | GT3 based on a road car | At least one Bronze, at most one Gold or Platinum | Green | 14 |
What is an LMP2 car?
LMP2 (Le Mans Prototype 2) is the class below the Hypercars. It is reserved for privateer teams that are independent of car and engine manufacturers. The cars have a carbon monocoque like the top class, but under strict cost rules: a car may not cost more than 483,000 euros. Four constructors supply chassis: Dallara, Ligier, Oreca and Riley/Multimatic. Every car uses the same Gibson V8 engine of around 600 bhp and the same Cosworth electronics. The minimum weight is 930 kg and the fuel tank holds 75 litres.
A crew of two or three drivers must include at least one Silver-rated driver, and two Platinum drivers may not share a car. The champion and the runner-up are both invited to the next 24 Hours of Le Mans.
How is LMP2 Pro/Am different from LMP2?
The car is exactly the same. The difference is the line-up: a Pro/Am crew must include at least one Bronze-rated driver, usually a gentleman driver, and two Platinum drivers may not share a car. Pro/Am started as a separate trophy inside LMP2 in 2021 and has been a class of its own since 2023. It has its own 15-minute qualifying session for Bronze drivers only, with one championship point for pole position. The Pro/Am champion is invited to Le Mans.
What is LMP3?
The ACO introduced LMP3 in 2015 as the entry level for prototype racing: competitive cars on an affordable budget, where drivers, engineers and mechanics learn the trade before moving up. The third generation of LMP3 cars arrived in 2025. Four manufacturers build them: Ligier, Duqueine, Ginetta and Adess. Oreca supplies the powertrain to all of them, built around the Toyota V35A engine with 470 hp. The cars weigh at least 1,000 kg and carry 100 litres of fuel.
The LMP3 champion is invited to the next 24 Hours of Le Mans, in LMP2: the step up the ladder that the class exists for.
What is LMGT3?
LMGT3 is the GT class, for cars based on road models that are built and sold at the time of homologation, following the GT3 technical rules and approved by the ACO and FIA. The same class races in the FIA WEC and at Le Mans, as explained on our page LMGT3 class explained. Minimum weight is 1,200 kg and the fuel tank holds at most 120 litres.
Line-ups are the most restricted of all classes: a crew of two or three must include a Bronze driver and may have no more than one Gold or Platinum driver. The LMGT3 champion is invited to Le Mans.
What do Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze mean?
The FIA rates every driver in one of four categories based on experience and results. Platinum is for top professionals, Bronze for amateurs, with Gold and Silver in between. The ELMS uses those ratings to set the crew rules in the table above, and the required driving times per driver also depend on the crew. More on that in how a 4-hour ELMS race works.
Back to the overview: what is the European Le Mans Series? Or see how the classes score in ELMS points and Le Mans invitations.
Source: European Le Mans Series, classes page and 2026 Sporting Regulations.