Le Mans Ultimate, the official game of the FIA World Endurance Championship and 24 Hours of Le Mans currently available in early access, has rolled out a significant update in February 2025, bringing gameplay improvements, new cars, tracks, and various fixes. These updates elevate the racing experience for GT sim racing enthusiasts, focusing on refining driving mechanics and expanding content.
Game Updates - Key Highlights
AI enhancements: The update has significantly improved the AI's racing behavior. Players will notice the AI now leaves more room when battling side-by-side, improving race dynamics. Furthermore, the AI's ability to rejoin the track has been refined to avoid dangerous and unrealistic movements. In crowded races, AI performance is now more consistent, and their trail braking has been enhanced to prevent random lockups. The best pedals for GT are CSL Elite pedals V2 and ClubSport Pedals V3, as they both include load cells. This allows you to fine tune your braking style and allows to reduce the risk of locking.
Tire warmers and limited tire rules: A standout feature added in this update is the introduction of toggleable tire warmers. Players can now use tire warmers to ensure optimal tire performance before heading out onto the track. Additionally, updates to Limited Tire Rules have made tire allocations more dynamic, allowing for shared allocation during qualifying and race sessions, improving race weekend management.
HUD and gameplay improvements: The HUD has seen several improvements, including better damage display, more accurate tire and brake temperature graphics, and improved timing/standings. Players can now toggle damage information more easily and view lap times and sector splits with greater precision.
Content Updates - New Cars and Tracks
New Cars: The update introduces new cars like the Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo (DLC Pack 4) and the Ford Mustang LMGT3 (free DLC). Additionally, the Porsche 992GT3R-24 LMGT3 is added, enhancing the car roster with more varied handling styles. The Ferrari 499p Joker Package is also included, offering customization options for Ferrari enthusiasts.
New Tracks and Layouts: The February update adds exciting new layouts like:
- COTA National Layout
- Bahrain Endurance, Outer, Paddock Layouts
- Le Mans Mulsanne Layout
- Monza Curva Grande Layout
- Spa Endurance Layout, supporting up to 62 cars
- Sebring School Layout for training
These new layouts, along with updated versions of existing tracks like Circuit of the Americas and Fuji, provide more variety and racing opportunities.
Patch Updates - March 2025
The first patch focused on improving stability and performance. It fixed issues related to the HUD, including crashes when accessing pit menus and problems with chat box interactions. Additionally, fixes were applied to the Limited Tire Rules, ensuring tire selections between races no longer carry over incorrectly.
The second patch brought additional fixes for gameplay and content. Notably, it addressed an issue where harder tire compounds were incorrectly applied during setup and fixed various AI-related issues, including collisions during practice and qualifying sessions. Track-specific updates were also included for popular locations such as Spa, Monza, and Bahrain, ensuring the AI behaves more realistically.
