Review: Le Mans Ultimate
Le Mans Ultimate has been in early access since 2023, stirring up some debate in the Sim Racing community due to its decision to offer paid DLC during this phase. Now, the team at Studio 397 has launched version 1.0 of the game, but can we consider this a full release?
Release Date: June 22nd 2025 (1.0)
Developer: Studio 397
Publisher: Studio 397
Price: Base Game – £28.99
Reviewed On: DPVR E4 Black
* Access Provided For Review *
The Best Hypercar Racing Sim On The Market
As previously noted, Le Mans Ultimate has stirred some debate within the Sim Racing community by introducing paid DLC while the game was still in early access. This DLC incorporated content from the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship, coinciding with the season’s transition. So, what can you expect from the 1.0 release? It includes the entire 2025 WEC season, plus two bonus cars: the Mercedes-AMG LMGT3 and the Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR LMH Hypercar. Furthermore, the BMW M4 LMGT3 Evo has been upgraded to the 2025 version, and the newest liveries for both Hypercar and LMGT3 have been introduced. However, if you’re looking for the 2024 content, you’ll still need to buy it as DLC.
One aspect that the early access version was missing was single-player content, and the 1.0 release remains unchanged in this regard. In single-player mode, you can still only participate in ‘Race Weekends’, which involve practice, qualifying, and race sessions. This encompasses all the WEC tracks, along with some track layouts that are not featured in the WEC – and that’s all there is for the time being.
It would have been fantastic to have a career mode for single-player included in the 1.0 release. Nevertheless, the team at Studio 397 is still working on it, and they anticipate its delivery in 2026. This means that if you’re purchasing it for single-player gameplay, your content will be somewhat restricted for the next year. Keeping this in mind, even though there’s a shortage of single-player content, you can configure the AI to provide a genuine challenge, and based on my experience with single-player, they can also make mistakes that seem realistic. Add the remarkable driving system of Le Mans Ultimate with the thrilling racing experience offered across four distinct classes, and you have what is becoming recognised as one of the top Hypercar simulators on the market. Thanks to the ongoing refinements introduced in updates since 2023, there’s a wealth of enjoyment for sim racing fans.
Le Mans Ultimate provides certain settings that can make the game more forgiving for those who need it. However, for the most part, it remains quite strict. In these settings, you can incorporate racing lines and utilize various assists, including options like steering and traction control, to mention just a few.
The online mode is where Le Mans Ultimate truly shines. Throughout its time in early access, it has gained immense popularity, experiencing a significant rise in the number of online players, even surpassing Assetto Corsa Competizione in player count – this can be attributed to the strong netcode and the previously mentioned enjoyable handling model.
In the online racing, players can participate in daily and weekly events, complemented by special events that fill the gaps. The game utilises RaceControl for its multiplayer ranking systems, and it also provides RaceControl Pro and RaceControl Pro + subscriptions. These optional subscription based services grant access to more curated races, online championships, and additional features such as custom liveries and enhanced team management options. Furthermore, this system matches players with others of similar skill levels. It also encourages clean racing, as some events are restricted based on how well players maintain racing etiquette, which significantly contributes to keeping the game and its lobbies as clean as possible.
In addition to the scheduled single-player updates set for 2026, we can expect a European Le Mans series of DLC beforehand. This will feature tracks such as Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Circuit Paul Ricard, and Silverstone, along with the LMP3 class. Currently, there is an asynchronous multiplayer mode that enables you and a friend to perform driver swaps during a race. However, I haven’t had the opportunity to test this feature for this review. They also aim to incorporate online driver swaps in the future.
The Feeling Of Authenticity
The refined driving system is complemented by stunning visuals that become even more breathtaking when experienced in virtual reality, providing an additional layer of immersion that makes you feel as though you are truly inside these powerful Hypercars.
The tracks are somewhat limited, as they only feature those used in Le Mans from 2023 onwards, which include Le Mans, Spa, Interlagos, Bahrain, Qatar, Imola, Fuji, and Austin. However, as previously noted, there are additional layouts of these tracks that are not part of the Le Mans event. What stands out is that these tracks have been laser-scanned, ensuring a genuinely authentic experience. In addition to the tracks, significant effort has been invested in modelling the available cars. The game presents a robust selection, featuring LMH Hypercars from renowned brands such as Porsche, Chevrolet, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Aston Martin, BMW, and Alpine – representing a total of nine GT3-class manufacturers. With thoughtful details like the necessity to warm up your tires before achieving full grip and the realistic decline in grip as your tires wear, driving these Hypercars is truly exhilarating.
As previously stated, virtual reality enhances the experience of being in these Hypercars, and the default cockpit view is stunning when viewed through the headset. The intricate details on the steering wheels and the car’s interior truly immerse you in the experience. Coupled with the dynamic weather system, these races truly come alive, with elements like rain which looks fantastic on your windscreen, and necessitating a switch to wet tires, which changes the feel of the track – they have done an excellent job of making the visuals and conditions feel as genuine as the driving experience.
The sound in the game matches the stunning visuals perfectly, featuring realistic terrain sounds, the roar of the cars, and even the subtle squeaks of your brakes when you hit them hard. However, my main concern with the audio is that the only radio communication you receive is related to your lap timing. This means that if you make a slight mistake and your lap gets black-flagged, you might miss the notification that appears on your HUD (which can easily happen in virtual reality). It would be beneficial to receive this kind of information through the radio communications as well.
However, there are some minor visual issues to consider. When you look through the windscreen, the tracks and the environment appear quite stunning, although it’s not flawless, and certain elements can disrupt the overall immersion while playing in VR. The primary culprits are the occasional slight anti-aliasing on the track lines and the flickering shadows, particularly near the catch fencing. Additionally, the game demands significant performance; on my setup, I had to limit the number of visible cars in the race to sixteen to ensure smooth gameplay. These are the few challenges I encountered, and I hope that with further optimization and updates, these problems can be addressed.
Comfort
The Verdict
Le Mans Ultimate has undeniably made significant progress with its 1.0 release, presenting an exhilarating yet uncompromising racing simulator that is poised to become one of the finest endurance racing games of this time. However, unlike mainstream racing titles such as F125 and Gran Turismo 7, Le Mans Ultimate serves as a demanding simulator tailored for the LMU. This means that if you are a racing simulator enthusiast with a complete racing setup at home, this game is designed for you. Conversely, if you lean more towards casual racing, it might come off as somewhat daunting—particularly since the game emphasises online racing. Considering this, the absence of single-player modes and that they won’t arrive until 2026 creates a sense that this isn’t quite the comprehensive 1.0 release one might expect. Nevertheless, what is offered is a racing simulator that feels remarkably authentic, from its driving mechanics to the laser-scanned tracks, dynamic weather system, and the distinct handling of each Hypercar. It’s clear why the player base for Le Mans Ultimate continues to grow, establishing it as the premier Hypercar simulator available today.