Automobilista 2 V1.6 Development Update - The New Cars

Been a good while since I've been this pumped for a sim update. All the new content is bananas. The official IMSA partnership and associated in-sim branding is bananas. The [supposedly] massive improvement to the underlying simulation on top of all of that is beyond bananas. Very much looking forward to getting some extra rig time and staying up past my old man bedtime to do it once 1.6 drops. My body is most certainly not ready. My spirit most certainly is.

 

sorry, switching games so often I'll always have something blocking something. gotta believe my words there

 

Yes yes, aliens are always hiding their secrets

 

By the way: Major props to the person(s) at REIZA who take the preview screenshots. They have been incredible in every dev update and especially in this part about the new cars. The models all look stunning with superb textures, reflections, camera angles... beautiful work!

 

The preview of nils its lastest build?

 

No worries, I'm very good at making mistakes - just a crazy coincidence but it was so perfectly aligned I thought it must be a choice!

You should have said it was WIP and you weren't allowed to show it yet, I would have believed that too

 

Can someone with beta access confirm that? I never use this class in 1.5 (because I am just bad at driving those beautiful cars).

 

I might have missed this in all the excitement but do we know if there are going to be separate classes specifically for the IMSA GTD cars or will they be bunched in with the current Gen 2 cars?

Also on a similar subject, will the Oreca 07 have its own IMSA class or will the Ligier be bunched in an LMP2 class with it?

Might seem trivial, but would be nice if we are going to be able to have authentic IMSA grids, at least with the cars that we'll have available.

 

The original LMP2 specs were 930kg with the Gibson V8 producing 603hp.

That's how they ran in IMSA and the WEC originally. When they first ran at Le Mans with their Le Mans specific aero kits they got up to 340kph and their fastest ever qualifying time was 3:24.528 in 2020.

In IMSA the LMP2 cars were originally supposed to be the baseline of performance and the DPis were to be BoPed to match the top LMP2 performance. During the 2018 season the OEMs of DPi, however, grew aggrevated with their slow downs as LMP2s by that point in the season had racked up three straight wins at Watkins Glen, Mosport, and Road America. The DPi early in the season had success over the LMP2s because they had developed superior dampening systems that have them an advantage over the LMP2s on the bumpier rougher tracks. However, later in the season those dampening systems were nullified by the smoother tracks listed above. To appease the DPi teams the LMP2s were hit with a weight increase of 10kg and 72L fuel capacity down from the original 75L. Team owner John Bennett of CORE Autosport along with driver Colin Braun had racked up two of those three wins (Mosport and Road America) and were in the championship hunt by that point. The cindarella story of the privateer team vs the OEMs would come up just 3 points shy of the title in 2018.

Following the 2018 season it was decided in IMSA to split the LMP2s and DPis into two seperate categories. The DPi would no longer be BoPed to the best LMP2 example and instead be BoPed against each other. The LMP2s would be restored to their original specs and the class became a Pro-AM class requiring at least one bronze or silver FIA rated driver.

In 2020 IMSA slowed down the LMP2s to create more of a gap between them and the DPis. Their power was reduced to 560hp and their weight was increased to 950kg. Those specs stayed in place until 2023 when IMSA further reduced the power of the LMP2s to 500-515hp depending on your source to create a bigger gap between them and the incoming GTP class. Those specs have stayed in place through the 2024 season.

In the WEC the LMP2 class was kept to its initial specs of 930kg and 603hp Gibson V8 through the 2020 season. In 2021 it was annouced in order to keep LMP2 from competing with the new Hypercar class their engine power would be reduced to 560hp and weight increased to 950kg. They would also be required to run the Le Mans specific body kit to reduce their downforce and drag. This aero kit was one of three. The other two areo kits involved adding one pair or two pairs of dive planes at the front of the car. Just before the start of the 2021 season the LMP2s saw their power cut an additional 24hp down to 536hp or 400kw. In 2022 further changes were made to LMP2 with a reduction of fuel capacity from 75L down to 65L. To my knowledge these same specs were run in the WEC in 2023 as well.

In 2024 it was annouced with the WEC axing the LMP2 class from its full season, outside of Le Mans, that ELMS would boost the LMP2s from 540hp to 580hp, lower their weight to the original 930kg, and increase their fuel capacity from 69L to 75L.

https://www.imsa.com/news/2021/06/26/lmp2-vs-lmp3-whats-the-difference/

LMP2 Performance Reduced Further for 2022 – Sportscar365

https://www.imsa.com/news/2018/08/3...to-lmp2-cars-in-advance-of-americas-tire-250/

LMP2 Power Boost Confirmed For 2024 ELMS

 

Yes, they improved, especially the Senna, which I really disliked before. Just turn down the traction control since I think the default is 10 which makes it feel weird. This may have changed by release time.

The Brabham is still the maniacal axe murderer of GT3s it used to be, but it does so with a bit more finesse now.

I did not drive the Veneno a whole lot, but found it is much more fun with traction control completely off since the AWD makes it have more than enough grip.

 

Gen2 ARE the IMSA GTDs

 

I was thinking about the skins though.

What I'm getting at is, will we be able to choose IMSA specific cars and skins or will they all be bunched in with existing GTP, GT3 and the new LMP2s.

 

GT3 Gen 2 ARE IMSA GTDs skins included. The skins in that class are IMSA liveries. Does that make it clear?

 

Not really But if you mean the skins we have in game now will be replaced by IMSA skins, then yes that is clear.

Still doesn't answer my query about the LMP2s, which is more important really. Also thinking about the Alpine fitting in the in the GTP class, although I think that has been mentioned before.

 

You mean the driver puts on a dress suit before climbing in the cockpit?

 

From what i know Ferrari isnt coming to AMS2 (at the moment) but with iRacing confriming the 499P is gonna be added i like to think we may get them in the future....

 

Thanks for clearing this up. "IMSA preset" ......that's what I was looking for

 

Huge disagree here, Iracing is the largest simracing dev studio in the word right now. Barring cars that are binded by exclusivity deals they could probably get any car they want to.