Classes · 4 min read · 770 words
What is LMGT3 and how does it differ from LMGTE Pro/Am?
LMGT3 is the WEC's production-derived GT class, introduced in 2024 to replace the LMGTE Pro and LMGTE Am categories. The cars are based on FIA GT3 homologations rather than the bespoke endurance-specific GTE rulebook, making them cheaper to build and broadly compatible with customer GT3 programmes outside the WEC. Each LMGT3 entry must run one platinum-rated or gold-rated driver alongside silver and bronze categorisations, preserving the customer-team character of the Am class while accepting works support.
Why LMGTE went away
LMGTE was the production-class regulation that ran in the WEC from 2012 to the end of 2023, with two divisions. LMGTE Pro fielded full-works entries from Ford, Ferrari, Porsche, Aston Martin, BMW and Corvette across various seasons. LMGTE Am ran amateur-and-bronze-led teams with one-year-old works machinery, and was the class with the deepest grid.
The class became financially unsustainable in the late 2010s. Each manufacturer's LMGTE programme cost more than a customer GT3 programme by a factor of three to five, the cars were endurance-specific (not transferable to other championships), and the customer base was concentrated in two championships (WEC and IMSA). When Ford withdrew from LMGTE Pro after 2019 and Porsche followed at the end of 2022, the writing was on the wall.
The 2023 WEC ran LMGTE Am only as a final transitional season. The works teams either bowed out or pivoted toward customer-friendly GT3 platforms. The FIA approved the LMGT3 regulation in 2022 for a 2024 introduction.
What an LMGT3 car is
An LMGT3 car is a manufacturer's existing FIA GT3 homologation with WEC-specific Balance of Performance settings layered on top. The same physical car, give or take a tyre allocation and a fuel-flow restrictor, can be raced in IMSA's GTD category, in DTM, in the GT World Challenge series and in numerous national championships. This means a customer team can buy a GT3 car for a multi-series programme and add the WEC homologation as one of several supported entries.
The technical envelope is broader than LMGTE. LMGT3 accepts mid-engined, front-engined, naturally aspirated and turbo configurations. Aston Martin Vantage GT3, BMW M4 GT3, Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R, Ferrari 296 GT3, Ford Mustang GT3, Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2, Lexus RC F GT3, McLaren 720S GT3 EVO and Porsche 911 GT3 R have all raced in WEC LMGT3 since 2024. The class is BoP-managed to roughly the same lap time across these configurations.
What changes for customer teams
Three things changed for teams moving from LMGTE Am to LMGT3.
First, driver categorisation rules tightened. LMGT3 requires a minimum of one platinum-rated or gold-rated driver per entry. LMGTE Am required only that the lineup not include a platinum driver at all. The shift reflects the championship's view that LMGT3 should be a mixed pro-am category rather than a pure amateur class.
Second, car costs dropped. A new LMGT3 car costs roughly 600,000 to 800,000 euros depending on the manufacturer. An LMGTE Am car cost approximately 1.2 to 1.5 million euros. The full-season operating budget per entry sits roughly 30 to 40 percent below the LMGTE Am equivalent.
Third, the customer-to-works relationship is closer. Most LMGT3 manufacturers operate a factory-supported customer team in the WEC rather than running directly. Heart of Racing runs Aston Martin, WRT runs BMW, Manthey runs Porsche, AF Corse runs Ferrari, Iron Lynx ran Lamborghini in 2024 (then Lexus in 2025), and so on. The works manufacturer provides engineering, parts and driver support; the customer team provides the operational base.
How LMGT3 races at Le Mans and the rest of the season
LMGT3 cars race in the same start and the same chequered flag as Hypercar cars but are scored separately. The class fields between 17 and 19 cars in a typical WEC round, slightly larger than the Hypercar class which usually has 18-20 entries. At Le Mans the LMGT3 grid expands to roughly 23 cars with invitation entries.
The class winner at any round earns 25 points (the same as the Hypercar overall winner). Manufacturer's championship points are calculated separately, with a Pirelli-supplied tyre allocation that is identical across all LMGT3 cars in WEC (a deliberate cost-control measure).
What it tells us about the future of GT in WEC
LMGT3's introduction in 2024 stabilised the production-GT category in the WEC for the first time in a decade. Eleven manufacturers have raced an LMGT3 car at least once in the championship's first three seasons. The grid is now deeper than LMGTE Am ever was, and the customer-team economics are sustainable enough to keep multi-team programmes viable through the rest of the Hypercar regulation window to 2032.
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