Pre-2017 LMP2: Surprisingly Missing in Sim Racing

Fuji2016.jpg
Image: Alpine on Newspress UK
Modern sportscars are great to have in sim racing. But there is a class and era that deserves more attention both from the community and developers. What is your favourite pre-2017 LMP2 car?

LMP2, Hypercar, GTE and GT3. Sportscar racing is becoming one of the most popular forms of motorsport around the world, and that growth is reflected in sim racing.

Seemingly every week, we hear stories of the latest GT3 model joining various simulators or a title getting first dibs at a brand-new Hypercar. Meanwhile, take a look at player numbers online and, omitting the popularity of entry-level single seaters, every server fit to burst with participation features at least one of the four aforementioned categories.

AMS2 represents many sportscar eras.

AMS2 represents many sportscar eras. Image: Reiza Studios

But zoom out from the modern sportscar fixation of recent times and you may notice that even classic content is far from lacking. A plethora of Assetto Corsa mods provide the best of 1960's sportscars whilst Automobilista 2's Group C and GT1 content is brilliant at shining the spotlight on the 1980s and 1990s.

There is one era however, or one particular class that is, that perhaps is not quite getting its five minutes of fame. Current LMP2 is a fantastic class with the formulaic ruleset and hot competition. But prior to 2017, the amateur-based prototype category was a different animal that deserves its moment in the spotlight.

Post-2017 LMP2 - A Set Formula​

Today, the LMP2 class is pretty much a single-make category with the exception of a single outlier Stateside in the form of Sean Creech Motorsport running a Ligier JSP217 up against a pack of Oreca 07's.

Ligier JSP217.jpg

The Ligier JSP217 was a popular LMP2 car in its inception. Image: Dunlop on Lulop

But this narrow scope is nothing new. Ever since the current ruleset began in 2017, just four manufacturers were homologated to build models for the class. That is in fact the same quartet now licensed to put together LMDh chassis for the Hypercar/GTP class; Oreca, Ligier, Dallara and Riley-Multimatic.

Back when the modern day LMP2 era launched, teams had the choice of purchasing a car from either of those four with the Oreca 07 and Ligier JSP217 picking up most of the pieces. Dallara's P217 was a semi-popular model for the first few years whilst the Riley-Multimatic Mk30 saw but a handful of outings.

2019 Le Mans LMP2 field.jpg

Even in 2018, LMP2 did not have variety. Image: Alpine on NewspressUK

Not only was the new class rather shut off to newcomers, it also featured far tighter regulations. Gone were the open top models of the past, making for far more similarly styled racers. In addition, the rulemakers' desire for greater parity between the models made for limited design opportunities and a single engine, the now famous Gibson V8.

Pre-2017 LMP2 - What An Era​

By contrast, the second highest class on the prototype ladder just a few years prior was a mish-mash of differing looks, fantastic sounds and a great variety of shapes thanks to a very open ruleset. From the very serious, closed top Ligier JSP2 to the open top Morgan and Zytek Z11SN - cars were vastly different.

LMP2 before 2017 was full of variety.

Take your pick for your favourite LMP2 car shape. Image: Honda Racing on Newspress UK

In total, 18 different chassis were homologated in-class between 2011 and 2016 when the class finally packed up, all of which were eligible for competition until that very last race. That being said, no one would have recommended strapping into an original HPD ARX-01 up against the likes of the all-conquering Ligier.

The new regulations brought into place in 2011 were all about cutting costs from the previous models known for being able to run in either LMP2 or LMP1 specification. The Porsche RS Spyder was one of the first to do so, instigating a development war amongst more serious manufacturers.

The result was a category that even the most unknown of manufacturers like BR Engineering could put together a chassis for, fit it with one of the many engines available from the likes of Judd, Nissan, Honda, BMW or Mazda, and get to work.

Nissan engine in LMP2.jpg

The Nissan engine ruled LMP2 pre-2017. Image: Nissan on Newspress

But the wide scope of chassis and engine options never harmed competitiveness within the class. Sure, the Ligier and Oreca options were the go-to whilst Nissan was by far the winningest engine manufacturer, but even the likes of a Mazda-powered Lola had a shot at race wins, especially Stateside.

2011-2016 LMP2 in Sim Racing​

Despite being such an interesting time in sportscar racing's history, this specific period in the LMP2 class' lifetime is lacking representation in sim racing. Spend enough time scrolling your favourite search engine and you may find the odd Assetto Corsa mod, or if you fancy a real throwback, some GTR2 mod packs. But rarely will you spot a prominent passion project featuring the cars.

Most frequently when you do spot a recreation of the era, it will be the infamously fast Ligier JSP2 or Alpine-branded open-top Oreca 03. But the truly fascinating models from the time are the oddball creations like the Strakka Racing designs or Morgan's foray into the category. Seldom will you be able to drive these rarer models in sim racing, let alone with accurate and satisfying physics and sounds.

Strakka Racing at Le Mans in an LMP2

Strakka Racing was one of many teams to create its own LMP2 car. Image: Strakka Racing on NewspressUK

How to integrate LMP2 in sim racing​

Ultimately, capturing the category's essence will be crucial to accurately integrating it into a game. This would require highlighting the shear number of engine and chassis combinations available across the class' existence.

Automobilista 2 does this fantastically with its 1990's CART - sorry, Formula USA - models and various F1 recreations. With LMP2's rather generic looks, the Brazilian studio could fare well in showcasing the period's spirit without the faff of going through licencing deals with each chassis manufacturer from the time.

Now Is The Time​

In the real world, the LMP2 class is in a rather static situation at the moment. The Oreca 07 is very much the go-to for competitive teams and thanks to its ease of use, the current ruleset has been extended for operation until the end of 2027. Yes, the new class that was meant to provide a base for the LMDh cars released last year will now not hit the track until 2028 - just one year before those LMDh models' homologations come to an end.

The Oreca 07 will remain the go-to LMP2 car for another few years yet.

The Oreca 07 will remain the go-to LMP2 car for another few years yet. Image: Dunlop on Lulop

With the formula working well from a competition standpoint in the likes of ELMS and IMSA, racing games are rushing to integrate the current standard that is the Oreca 07. Le Mans Ultimate has it and Automobilista 2 is looking set to get it in its next update.

But once these games have the car, what is next for LMP2 in sim racing? Clearly, we will not be seeing any brand-new models hit the virtual track for another four years. So now is surely the perfect time to take a look back in time and begin work on implementing LMP2 cars from years gone by. AMS2 with its fabulous historical tendencies is surely the title to pick up on the trend and put together the likes of a Ligier JSP2, Oreca 05 or 03 or even a more obscure Caterham, Acura ARX-03 or Strakka.

And we would not say no to some period-correct multiclass competition to be added, either.

Would you like to see previous generations of LMP2 car hit the virtual track? Let us know on Twitter @OverTake_gg or in the comments below!
About author
Angus Martin
Motorsport gets my blood pumping more than anything else. Be it physical or virtual, I'm down to bang doors.

Comments

Souhaitez-vous voir les générations précédentes de voitures LMP2 sillonner la piste virtuelle ?
J'ai déjà toutes ces générations précédentes dans mon Sim préféré, @Angus Martin vous devez chercher un peu plus, si vous êtes vraiment intéressé.:D
Je suis tout à fait d'accord, ces voitures sont bien plus intéressantes que la génération actuelle de LMP2. Le LMP2 offrait autrefois de la variété, maintenant c'est plus comme une course à une seule marque.
View attachment 775441
Vraiment un bel animal.:cool:

Would you like to see previous generations of LMP2 car hit the virtual track?
I already have all those previous generation in my favorite Sim, @Angus Martin you need to look a little harder, if you are really interested. :D
I totally agree, those car are much more interesting than the present LMP2 crop. LMP2 use to offer variety, now it is more like a one brand race.
View attachment 775441
Really a beautiful animal.:cool:
And what is this very interesting simulation, please?
 
Premium
Why? There are enough LMP2 cars from before 2017 made for the sim. A whole collection for rFactor. The first one that immediately came to mind when reading this article: The Porsche RS Spyder from the period 2006 - 2009 with a victory in the LMP2 class in the 24 hours of Le Mans in 2008, with none other than Jos Verstappen as driver, yes the father of.
The rFactor version is from the ILMS serie, with LMP1, LMP2, GT1 and GT2 from the same period.

GRAB_009.JPG
 
Premium
You know what else is completely missing from simracing? The old Canadian-American Challenge Cup from the years 1966 to 1974.

I can't understand that there is no interest at all, there were so many iconic and brutal cars and tracks.
There is a mod Can Am for the old rFactor. And there are some Can Am cars from the 60's and the 70's made for Assetto Corsa. But you have to do a little research on the internet to find these.

The rFactor Can Am mod on Laguna Seca.
GRAB_012.JPG


Can Am 60's on Laguna Seca in Assetto Corsa:
Screenshot_actk_mclaren_m1b_ks_laguna_seca_11-7-124-20-30-14.jpg


Can Am 70's on Laguna Seca in Assetto Corsa:
Screenshot_actk_mclaren_m8c_ks_laguna_seca_11-7-124-20-32-40.jpg


Both in rFactor and Assetto Corsa the cars are not easy to drive. I guess the real cars were also difficult to drive. But I like driving in both rFactor and Assetto Corsa cars. Decent ffb and decent physics.
 
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I guess the article aims more at official content and high profile mods in sims that are still relevant nowadays.
 
Aren't a lot of these cars in AC? You can find the majority of them over at GT Planet, and if I'm not mistaken didn't URD make an Oreca from around this time period, the same with IER?
 
WES Simtek mod in Rfactor was amazing Featuring the, HPD ARX 03b, Lola B12/80, Zytek Z11sn, and the Oreca 03.
 
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Premium
You know what else is completely missing from simracing? The old Canadian-American Challenge Cup from the years 1966 to 1974.

I can't understand that there is no interest at all, there were so many iconic and brutal cars and tracks.
Can Am is very well featured in AC modding, Lola, Porsche, Mclaren, Chaparral even the ferrari 712p etc
 

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For those looking for LMP675 and LMP2 car mods for AC, look no further than user @Peugeot905 on GTPlanet. he has created, and is still creating, many of these cars, as well as the less known LMP900 and LMP1 cars from the 2000s and 2010s. I believe his work is mostly conversions from GTR2 mods, but the drivability is nice.

As far as mods for Can-Am, for AC anyways, there are many mods, with the AC Legends team and then Legion creating enough cars to have widespread variety in your races.
 
For those looking for LMP675 and LMP2 car mods for AC, look no further than user @Peugeot905 on GTPlanet. he has created, and is still creating, many of these cars, as well as the less known LMP900 and LMP1 cars from the 2000s and 2010s. I believe his work is mostly conversions from GTR2 mods, but the drivability is nice.

As far as mods for Can-Am, for AC anyways, there are many mods, with the AC Legends team and then Legion creating enough cars to have widespread variety in your races.
I'm part of pretty good sized team of people who helps me with the mods.
 
Naturally there is more interest in recent seasons, whether LeMans, Indycar, F1, sport cars, or whatever. I've been deemed "old school" for mentioning Graham Hill in a discussion of F1 drivers. There are some excellent '50's and early '60's F1 mods available but how much do you hear of them. The P&G mod made a big splash but I doubt we will see anything like it for newer sims.

If you're a dev you want your product to hit the largest market possible, that means "modern". Just like music, movies, or TV, for most people nothing existed before about 1990.

(You know you're getting old when you complain that the local "oldies" radio station plays too much modern music ....then realize that music you complain of is thirty years old.)
 
For those looking for LMP675 and LMP2 car mods for AC, look no further than user @Peugeot905 on GTPlanet. he has created, and is still creating, many of these cars, as well as the less known LMP900 and LMP1 cars from the 2000s and 2010s. I believe his work is mostly conversions from GTR2 mods, but the drivability is nice.

As far as mods for Can-Am, for AC anyways, there are many mods, with the AC Legends team and then Legion creating enough cars to have widespread variety in your races.
You mean, converted* them from a mod released for F1 Challenge 20 years ago.
 
The average age of sim racers has gone down a lot the last few years, and younger people tend to avoid and often outright dislike anything that isn't contemporary.

As for sportscar racing, I want to say that the 00s and early 10s were turbulent years for the sport, but I do have very fond memories of the cars and races of that era. Shame that the only content you'll find these cars in is old Forza games and maybe some rfactor/gtr2 mods. Modders are also more cynical now and will only work on things they know will be popular, and that era of sportscar racing would be at the bottom of a popularity poll. I'd like to see it, but even I would rather see more stuff from the 70s or late Group C before this.
 
The average age of sim racers has gone down a lot the last few years, and younger people tend to avoid and often outright dislike anything that isn't contemporary.
I doubt this, and would be surprised if the average sim racer wasn't pushing 40 already. I also question the premise that zoomer sim racers are disgusted by a car from the distant times of... 2016.
 
The RS Spyder was never eligible for LMP1 as the article seems to suggest.
 
The RS Spyder was never eligible for LMP1 as the article seems to suggest.
No, but in ALMS the RS Spyder AND the Acura ARX-01b & the LolaEX-257 & B05-40 all scored overall wins vs the Audi and other LMP1/LM900 category cars.
 
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I admitted he converted them, I always thought they were GTR2 conversions. Either way, they at least provide content, and they're free, so where's the issue.
Also, a lot of graphical improvements, cockpit improvements, and scaling work have been made to various models(most models were in much worse shape). Many of the people in the RMS group were the original creators of many of the models.
 

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