Which top class replaced LMP1 at Le Mans in the 2021 race?

The Hypercar class replaced LMP1 as the top category at the 2021 24 Hours of Le Mans. The race marked the debut of the new Le Mans Hypercar regulations, created by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest and the FIA to reduce costs and attract more manufacturers.

LMP1 had been Le Mans’ premier prototype class, but its complex hybrid technology and escalating budgets contributed to a shrinking field. Hypercar regulations allowed manufacturers to build either purpose-designed prototypes or cars inspired by road-going models. Both hybrid and non-hybrid powertrains were permitted, within limits on weight, power, and energy use.

Toyota won the first Hypercar-era race with its GR010 Hybrid. Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi, and José María López took overall victory, while a second Toyota finished runner-up. Alpine and Glickenhaus also competed in the new top class, creating a broader manufacturer mix than the final LMP1 seasons.

“Hypercar” refers to the category, not necessarily a production hypercar. The class is formally known as Le Mans Hypercar, or LMH, and it competed alongside LMP2 and the GT categories in 2021.