The four LMP3 manufacturers have been out testing multiple times with their new-for-2025 challengers in recent weeks, as the date for final homologation approaches.
Ginetta’s G61-LT-P3 Evo has been to a pair of French circuits – Magny Cours and Alès – over the past fortnight, with Laurents Hörr and Mike Simpson turning laps in the car in hotter temperatures (and in the case of Alès, at high altitude) for the first time.
The Yorkshire-based manufacturer told DSC that the new cooling package for the new V6 twin-turbo ORECA engine continues to produce highly encouraging results, and the lap times with the new power unit, it says, have been consistently quicker than its Gen 2 model.
Notably, its recent tests have come alongside Ligier (Magny Cours) and Duqueine (Alès), respectively, allowing it to get a read on how its car compares to its competitor’s models in the flesh for the first time.
There is still no news to report on customer sales, though Ginetta believes in its product and is eager to get prospective customers behind the wheel in the coming weeks.
Duqueine, meanwhile, has tested its D09 at Portimão as well as Alès during the past month, with the former a shared track test alongside ADESS’ AD25.
Jean-Karl Vernay, the brand’s head of customer sales, continues to be bullish about Duqueine’s prospects for the new era of LMP3. He told DSC last week that interest from its existing customer base and beyond is high, with four cars already sold for teams planning to race in the Le Mans Cup.
Next up for Duqueine is a run at Paul Ricard on October 7th and 8th, right before the final homologation for the new cars at Le Mans on October 10th and 11th.
As for Ligier, it has been hard at work testing the JS P325. Prior to homologation, its development chassis has completed 6,500 km of testing over six days at Barcelona, four days at Magny Cours, and two days apiece at Paul Ricard and Motorland Aragon.
Olivier Pla has tested the JS P325 throughout its development. The experienced Frenchman isn’t the only driver to have taken the wheel, though, as he was joined by Ligier European Series and Le Mans Cup champion Gillian Henrion at Paul Ricard.
Production of its first batch of JS P325s is now underway too, with the first customer deliveries planned for the end of October.
ADESS has also been busy, completing a straight-line test at the Beja Airport in Portugal with its AD25, as well as four days of testing at Portimão and a day at Estoril at the back end of the Summer period.
According to the manufacturer’s CEO, Stéphane Chosse, the AD25’s aero stability has been improving steadily over the course of the testing, which has been completed by multiple drivers. All in all, the car has completed more than 3,000 km on track.
Next on the task list for the Portuguese prototype is a crash test this week at Politecnico di Milano and an additional two-day test in Spain before the homologation deadline.
With the cars not yet testing in final homologated spec – and the final minimum weight of 1000kg only just set – it’s impossible to draw any conclusions on the performance hierarchy at this stage.
We will have to wait until after the ELMS finale in Portimão later this month to get a clearer picture. All four manufacturers are expected to make an appearance on track for two days of running at the Portuguese circuit – with a pool of customers on hand – in the immediate aftermath of the 2024 season.
At that point, there will be nowhere to hide…
Image credits: ELMS, ADESS & Ligier
