Le Mans Ultimate – An Incredible Simulator Missing the Full Game Package

Le Mans Ultimate is one of the most authentic racing sims you can play today. The driving feels phenomenal, the car roster is stacked with dream machines, and the tracks are recreated with unmatched precision. But outside of pure driving, the game is missing major features that most racing fans expect. No career mode, no championship structure at launch, and very little to keep solo players engaged means this is currently a simulator first, and a game second.

According to VGC, the question when reviewing Le Mans Ultimate is whether to see it as a game or a simulator. Judged as a game, it comes across as underwhelming and bare-bones. But look at it as a pure sim, and it’s a completely different story. Built on the rFactor 2 platform, it’s been in Early Access for over a year and a half, during which it’s steadily grown into one of the most respected PC racing sims. With the 1.0 release, it’s gained more polish, better content, and a loyal fan base of dedicated sim racers.

What makes it stand out is the way the cars feel on track. Every subtle shift in grip, every weight transfer, and every tiny loss of traction comes through with precision. The handling communicates exactly what the car is doing, not just when you nail the perfect corner, but even more so when you make a mistake. Go into a turn too fast, and you’ll feel the rear end start to break loose, spinning you out in a way that feels completely believable. It’s the kind of realism that makes every success rewarding — and every failure your own fault.

Then there’s the heart of the game: the Le Mans 24 Hours itself. This legendary endurance race sees teams of three drivers battle through day and night, swapping seats at pit stops. The recent surge in manufacturer participation means the game’s car list is full of stunning modern prototypes. The Ferrari 499P might be the most beautiful race car on the planet right now, while Cadillac’s entry offers a brutish V8-powered muscle aesthetic. Peugeot’s radical no-rear-wing design brings a unique look to the grid, and the Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro version in the game comes with a screaming V12 straight out of a 1990s Formula 1 fantasy.

Alongside these headline hypercars, there’s also a packed GT3 field — fan-favorite machines that offer their own championship within the race. Sim racers have long loved GT3 for its approachable yet competitive balance, and having a wide variety of them here adds massive appeal. Every track in the game is laser-scanned for accuracy, covering three full seasons of the FIA World Endurance Championship, so the authenticity is everywhere.

This endurance racing focus makes Le Mans Ultimate a natural fit for long-form multiplayer events. The game supports online races lasting several hours — sometimes a full 24 hours — that require strategy, driver swaps, and relentless focus. For those familiar with iRacing’s endurance events, it’s similar in concept, but with the unique cars and tracks of the WEC. Imagine a raid in a multiplayer RPG, but instead of a boss fight, it’s you and your team fighting for every tenth of a second against other live players.

Everything so far sounds fantastic, but this is where the “game” part starts to break down. Le Mans Ultimate currently lacks the structure that most racing fans expect. There’s no championship mode, no career progression, and no long-term single-player goals. The developers have said a full career mode is coming — but not until 2026. Until then, if you’re a solo player who doesn’t care about online racing, all you can do is set up individual race weekends. If you really want to keep track of points over a season, you’ll have to do it by hand, like some old-school stat keeper.

The AI drivers are decent, and the racing they provide is competitive, but no matter how advanced bots get, nothing matches the thrill of outsmarting a human opponent. That’s why Le Mans Ultimate leans heavily into online competition. There’s even a paid tier for players who want advanced team management tools, but the free online races still offer solid, regularly scheduled events that are well-populated.

For those who stick to offline play, the appeal will have to come from personal mastery — shaving seconds off lap times, learning every track’s rhythm, and racing purely for the satisfaction of improvement. It’s not a bad approach if you’re already invested in the discipline of sim racing, but for players coming from more casual or content-rich racing games, it’s going to feel limited.

As it stands, Le Mans Ultimate is a masterclass in simulation physics, a celebration of endurance racing, and a showcase of some of the best cars and tracks in motorsport. But until more game modes and progression systems arrive, it won’t replace more complete packages like Gran Turismo 7 or the F1 series for players looking for structure.

It’s not that the developers don’t have the vision — they clearly do — it’s just that the focus is laser-aimed at the driving itself, and everything else is secondary. If you love the art and precision of racing, there’s no better sim to experience it right now. If you want a complete game, you’ll need patience until 2026.

Le Mans Ultimate today is the ultimate driving experience — but not yet the ultimate racing game.