LMP2 gives the 24 Hours of Le Mans one of its most unpredictable and competitive classes. While Hypercar attracts the manufacturers and LMGT3 brings road-based variety, LMP2 places independent teams at the centre of the fight.
The class rewards operational excellence. Teams must manage traffic, strategy, pit work, driver rotation and reliability while racing identical Oreca 07-Gibson machinery. As a result, small mistakes can decide the class victory.
For the 94th 24 Hours of Le Mans, held from 10–14 June 2026, the LMP2 field features 19 cars. Nine of those entries run in LMP2 Pro/Am, which creates a separate battle inside the class. Inter Europol Competition returns as the defending LMP2 winner, while several former class winners and experienced privateer teams aim to stop them.
What is LMP2?
LMP2 stands for Le Mans Prototype 2. It describes a closed-cockpit prototype built only for racing.
Unlike Hypercar, LMP2 does not serve factory manufacturer programmes. Instead, it exists for independent teams competing at Le Mans, in the European Le Mans Series, the Asian Le Mans Series and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
That privateer focus shapes the whole class. Teams cannot simply outspend rivals with bespoke manufacturer technology. Instead, they win through preparation, strategy, engineering quality and driver consistency.
The LMP2 car explained
The modern LMP2 formula keeps costs under control by limiting the technical options available to teams.
Four constructors have approval to supply chassis: Dallara, Onroak Automotive, Oreca and Riley/Multimatic. However, the 2026 Le Mans LMP2 field uses the Oreca 07-Gibson throughout, according to the provisional entry list.
Gibson supplies the engine. The class uses a 4.2-litre naturally aspirated V8, which gives every team the same core performance platform. Therefore, the racing depends heavily on set-up, tyre management, fuel strategy, pit execution and driver performance.
The selling price of a new LMP2 car, excluding the engine and homologated electronic equipment, is capped at €483,000. This cost control helps keep the class accessible to private teams while preserving prototype performance.
The class at a glance
LMP2 cars are closed-cockpit prototypes open to private teams only. They use the Gibson V8 engine, run on Goodyear tyres and race with blue class identification.
The class also uses driver categorisation rules. Every LMP2 line-up must include at least one Silver or Bronze-rated driver. If a line-up includes a Bronze driver, that car also competes in LMP2 Pro/Am.
This system creates two battles at once. The overall LMP2 classification rewards the best car in the class, while LMP2 Pro/Am gives Bronze-assisted crews their own specific target.
Why LMP2 matters at Le Mans
LMP2 often delivers some of the closest racing at Le Mans because the cars share so much common equipment. The performance gap between teams can stay narrow over long periods, and that keeps strategy central.
The class also acts as a proving ground. Drivers move from LMP2 into Hypercar, Formula E, GT factory programmes and other major championships. Teams also use LMP2 to build the experience required for bigger endurance projects.
Therefore, LMP2 matters for more than its class trophy. It develops talent, strengthens privateer racing and adds depth to the Le Mans grid.
DKR Engineering: experience and Pro/Am ambition
DKR Engineering brings Le Mans experience and a Pro/Am line-up to the 2026 race. The Luxembourg-based team has four previous LMP2 starts at Le Mans and returns as a European Le Mans Series competitor.
John Farano anchors the Bronze element of the crew, while Sebastian Alvarez and Renger van der Zande bring speed and international experience. Van der Zande’s Le Mans record gives the team valuable knowledge of the race’s rhythm and hazards.
DKR has endured a difficult start to its ELMS campaign, so Le Mans gives the team a chance to reset its season.
CrowdStrike Racing by APR: Asian Le Mans momentum
CrowdStrike Racing by APR earned its Le Mans invitation after winning the GT class in the 2025–26 Asian Le Mans Series. The American-backed team returns for its third appearance at the race.
George Kurtz, Alexander Quinn and Laurin Heinrich form a strong Pro/Am crew. Heinrich’s factory Porsche experience and recent Daytona success add major quality to the line-up.
After a DNF in 2024 and a 30th-place overall finish last year, the team will want a cleaner, sharper Le Mans this time.
Proton Competition: two cars and a bigger endurance plan
Proton Competition enters two LMP2 cars while also representing Ford in LMGT3. The German team therefore arrives with a broad endurance racing presence.
The #9 entry brings together Jonas Ried, Kakunoshin Ohta and Harry King. The car also carries wider significance because Ford Racing continues to prepare for its future Hypercar entry.
The #44 runs in Pro/Am with the Felbermayr father-and-son pairing joined by Lorenzo Fluxà. Proton finished fourth and sixth in LMP2 at Le Mans last year, so the team has already shown it can execute in this class.
TDS Racing: a serious Pro/Am threat
TDS Racing has become a familiar name at Le Mans. The team has nine appearances and has already finished second and third in LMP2.
This year, the Pro/Am crew looks especially dangerous. Tobias Lütke fulfils the amateur role, while Mathias Beche and Kévin Estre bring serious pace. Estre’s reputation as one of Porsche’s leading factory drivers makes the #14 a car to watch.
TDS finished fifth in LMP2 last year. With this line-up, the team can aim higher.
United Autosports: class winners chasing another crown
United Autosports remains one of the benchmark LMP2 teams. Since entering the class in 2017, the British outfit has won Le Mans twice, in 2020 and 2024, and has also claimed major ELMS and FIA WEC titles.
The #22 pairs Rasmus Lindh and Grégoire Saucy with former Peugeot Hypercar driver Mikkel Jensen. Meanwhile, the #222 runs in Pro/Am with Daniel Schneider, Benjamin Hanley and Oliver Jarvis.
Jarvis helped United win in 2024, so the team has both pedigree and recent Le Mans-winning knowledge. That makes United one of the favourites.
Nielsen Racing: revenge after retirement
Nielsen Racing returns for its fifth Le Mans appearance. Last year, the British team crashed out and failed to finish, so the 2026 race brings an obvious chance for redemption.
David Heinemeier Hansson brings extensive Le Mans experience, Edward Pearson adds endurance momentum, and Jack Doohan gives the line-up a high-profile injection of single-seater pedigree.
The team has enough quality to target the podium, provided it avoids the race-ending trouble that hurt its previous campaign.
Algarve Pro Racing: Pro/Am powerhouse
Algarve Pro Racing enters Le Mans with major credentials. The Portuguese team has already won LMP2 Pro/Am at Le Mans three times, in 2020, 2022 and 2023.
It has also won the European Le Mans Series and the Asian Le Mans Series multiple times. Moreover, the team began 2026 by winning the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
Michael Jensen, Enzo Trulli and Jake Hughes form the crew. With that record behind them, Algarve Pro Racing should rank among the strongest Pro/Am contenders.
Vector Sport: consistency as a weapon
Vector Sport returns with the same line-up as last year. That matters at Le Mans because continuity can help a team refine processes, understand driver feedback and reduce mistakes.
The team prepares for its fourth Le Mans start after finishing fourth in last year’s European Le Mans Series. Its best Le Mans result came in 2024, when it finished fifth in class.
Ryan Cullen, Vladislav Lomko and Pietro Fittipaldi will aim to continue that upward trend.
IDEC Sport: another chapter at home
IDEC Sport will start Le Mans in LMP2 for the tenth consecutive year. That kind of continuity gives the French team deep knowledge of the event.
Paul Lafargue and Job van Uitert return as key figures, while Valerio Rinicella replaces Paul-Loup Chatin, who has moved to Genesis Magma Racing in Hypercar.
Last year, IDEC retired after losing a wheel. Therefore, reliability and execution will sit at the centre of its 2026 mission.
Forestier Racing by Panis: early ELMS winners with a point to prove
Forestier Racing by Panis arrives with strong early-season momentum. The combined outfit won the European Le Mans Series 4 Hours of Barcelona with the #29 Oreca 07-Gibson.
That result matters because Le Mans often rewards teams that arrive with confidence and race-winning rhythm. Last year, a suspension issue denied Panis Racing victory, and the team finished second.
Now, Louis Rousset, Esteban Masson and Oliver Gray get the chance to push one step higher.
Duqueine Team: young talent and factory quality
Duqueine Team has built itself into a regular LMP2 contender. The French outfit has competed in the European Le Mans Series since 2018 and has already made six Le Mans appearances.
Its best Le Mans result came in 2023, when it finished third. This year, the team joins forces with R-ace GP and brings a strong driver line-up.
Doriane Pin, Julien Andlauer and Richard Verschoor give the #30 a mix of youth, factory experience and racecraft. The team has started its ELMS season outside the top ten, but Le Mans gives it a bigger stage to respond.
CLX Motorsport: feeder-series talent steps up
CLX Motorsport, formerly Cool Racing, entrusts its 2026 Le Mans car to three drivers from endurance racing’s feeder categories.
Adrien Closmenil and Theodor Jensen arrive as European LMP3 champions, while Ian Aguilera steps up from LMP3. This line-up gives the team a developmental feel, but that does not mean it lacks ambition.
CLX finished 14th in LMP2 last year and currently sits eighth overall in the European Le Mans Series. A clean Le Mans would mark progress.
Inter Europol Competition: the defending champion
Inter Europol Competition enters the race as the defending LMP2 winner. The Polish team also won the class in 2023, so it brings proven Le Mans pedigree.
The #43 car features Jakub Śmiechowski, Tom Dillmann and Nicholas Yelloly. That crew will aim to defend the team’s crown and deliver back-to-back success.
The #343 also looks strong. Bijoy Garg already knows how to win Le Mans in LMP2 after his 2024 success with United Autosports, while Reshad de Gérus and Nico Müller add pace and experience.
With three second-place finishes already this season across Daytona, Barcelona and Le Castellet, Inter Europol arrives in strong form.
RD Limited: a debut with major experience
RD Limited makes its Le Mans LMP2 debut after a successful Asian Le Mans Series campaign that included a win and five podiums.
The team has a powerful asset in Romain Dumas. He has won Le Mans overall twice, with Audi in 2010 and Porsche in 2016, and brings 23 race starts to the programme.
Dumas shares the car with Tristan Vautier and Fred Poordad. As a debuting team, RD Limited faces a steep learning curve, but its leadership and driver experience should help.
AO by TF: defending Pro/Am winners with Rockie
AO by TF returns to defend its LMP2 Pro/Am title. The American team continues its partnership with TF Sport and brings another fan-friendly identity to the grid.
After Rexy and Spike, AO Racing introduces Rockie, a Pegasus figure that represents the team’s 2026 campaign.
PJ Hyett, James Allen and Dane Cameron form the crew. As reigning Pro/Am winners, they know they can succeed at Le Mans. Now, they must repeat that level in a packed field.
AF Corse: Pro/Am quality and Le Mans pedigree
AF Corse enters the LMP2 Pro/Am fight with a highly credible crew. The team won LMP2 Pro/Am at Le Mans in 2024, so it understands what the class demands.
François Perrodo remains one of the most accomplished amateur drivers in the field. He shares the car with Matthieu Vaxiviere, a former Alpine Hypercar driver, and Ben Barnicoat.
The #183 has not enjoyed the strongest start to its ELMS season, but AF Corse’s Le Mans experience keeps it in the conversation.
The full 2026 Le Mans LMP2 entry list
- #3 DKR Engineering — Oreca 07-Gibson
John Farano / Sebastian Alvarez / Renger van der Zande — Pro/Am - #4 CrowdStrike Racing by APR — Oreca 07-Gibson
George Kurtz / Alexander Quinn / Laurin Heinrich — Pro/Am - #9 Proton Competition — Oreca 07-Gibson
Jonas Ried / Kakunoshin Ohta / Harry King - #14 TDS Racing — Oreca 07-Gibson
Tobias Lütke / Mathias Beche / Kévin Estre — Pro/Am - #22 United Autosports — Oreca 07-Gibson
Rasmus Lindh / Grégoire Saucy / Mikkel Jensen - #24 Nielsen Racing — Oreca 07-Gibson
David Heinemeier Hansson / Edward Pearson / Jack Doohan - #25 Algarve Pro Racing — Oreca 07-Gibson
Michael Jensen / Enzo Trulli / Jake Hughes — Pro/Am - #26 Vector Sport — Oreca 07-Gibson
Ryan Cullen / Vladislav Lomko / Pietro Fittipaldi - #28 IDEC Sport — Oreca 07-Gibson
Paul Lafargue / Valerio Rinicella / Job van Uitert - #29 Forestier Racing by Panis — Oreca 07-Gibson
Louis Rousset / Esteban Masson / Oliver Gray - #30 Duqueine Team — Oreca 07-Gibson
Doriane Pin / Julien Andlauer / Richard Verschoor - #37 CLX Motorsport — Oreca 07-Gibson
Adrien Closmenil / Ian Aguilera / Theodor Jensen - #43 Inter Europol Competition — Oreca 07-Gibson
Jakub Śmiechowski / Tom Dillmann / Nicholas Yelloly - #44 Proton Competition — Oreca 07-Gibson
Horst Jr Felbermayr / Horst Felix Felbermayr / Lorenzo Fluxà — Pro/Am - #48 RD Limited — Oreca 07-Gibson
Fred Poordad / Tristan Vautier / Romain Dumas — Pro/Am - #99 AO by TF — Oreca 07-Gibson
PJ Hyett / James Allen / Dane Cameron — Pro/Am - #183 AF Corse — Oreca 07-Gibson
François Perrodo / Matthieu Vaxiviere / Ben Barnicoat — Pro/Am - #222 United Autosports — Oreca 07-Gibson
Daniel Schneider / Benjamin Hanley / Oliver Jarvis — Pro/Am - #343 Inter Europol Competition — Oreca 07-Gibson
Bijoy Garg / Reshad de Gérus / Nico Müller
The key LMP2 storylines
The biggest storyline surrounds Inter Europol Competition. The Polish team has won Le Mans in LMP2 twice in recent years and now returns as defending champion.
United Autosports also demands attention. Its record in LMP2 makes it one of the strongest teams in the category, and its two-car entry gives it two routes to victory.
In Pro/Am, AO by TF, Algarve Pro Racing, TDS Racing, AF Corse and RD Limited all look capable of fighting near the front. The Bronze-driver requirement adds another strategic layer because teams must manage pace differences, stint timing and traffic carefully.
Meanwhile, teams such as Forestier Racing by Panis, Duqueine, Nielsen and IDEC Sport bring the potential to disrupt the favourites if they execute cleanly.
A fierce battle awaits
LMP2 gives the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans a fierce privateer prototype battle. The cars may share the same Oreca-Gibson platform, but the teams will create the difference through preparation, speed, strategy and discipline.
Inter Europol Competition enters as the team to beat. United Autosports brings proven winning strength. Algarve Pro Racing, TDS Racing, AO by TF and AF Corse headline a deep Pro/Am fight. Meanwhile, several ambitious teams have enough talent to upset the established order.
That combination should make LMP2 one of the most open and watchable classes at Le Mans in 2026.
See the full schedule for the 2026 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and you can get live updates on race day from our blog.
