With Le Mans Ultimate’s ELMS DLC now complete, the sim racing community has one question on its mind: what’s next? Looking at Reddit and the official forums, the player base is split. Some want the game to follow ELMS with the Asian Le Mans Series. Others want Studio 397 to cross the Atlantic and partner with IMSA in North America.
Based on a string of clues dropped by Motorsport Games and Studio 397 in the past few weeks, we think the IMSA camp is about to get exactly what it wants. Here are five reasons why.
1. The CEO Confirmed Non-European Track DLC
This one comes straight from the top. On a recent earnings call, Motorsport Games CEO Stephen Hood confirmed that upcoming content packs will target new audiences outside Europe:
“In order to take this game international, we’re starting to look at additional content that would attract people who aren’t naturally bought into the Le Mans concept or European content. We have got more things to reveal in the future, but I’m quite excited about that.”
LMU currently has only two US circuits: Circuit of the Americas and Sebring. The game has no Asian Le Mans Series content and no IMSA tracks beyond Sebring’s shared WEC slot. On its own, this quote doesn’t point straight to IMSA; there are plenty of racing series outside Europe. But it is the first official signal that something new is coming, and it sets the stage for everything that follows.
2. The “Daytona” Easter Egg in the V1.3 Video
In the V1.3 release video, Hood told players to “keep a lookout” for Easter eggs about upcoming content. At the exact moment he said it, the video showed a car going through the chicane at Circuit de la Sarthe, nicknamed “Daytona.”
That corner got its name when WEC and IMSA formalized their real-world partnership. The two series named a chicane after each other’s home track: the chicane at Daytona is called “Le Mans,” and the chicane at Le Mans is called “Daytona.” Hood pointing players toward Easter eggs at precisely that moment feels too deliberate to dismiss. The community on Reddit agreed, with speculation around Daytona International Speedway coming to LMU spreading quickly after the video dropped.
3. The V1.3.3 Announcement Lines Up With US Independence Day
The June 4th V1.3.3 update video gave us the confidence we needed. Studio 397 confirmed that V1.4 is coming in July, and that details on the next Season Pass would arrive “exactly one month from today.” That date lands on July 4th, 2026, US Independence Day.
The exact wording made things even more interesting: “It’s something a lot of you have been asking for.” That is not vague corporate language. IMSA content is consistently one of the most requested additions in the LMU community, appearing at the top of Reddit threads, Steam forum posts, and the official community board. Fans in North America have said they would buy an IMSA season pass without hesitation, with many noting that IMSA is far easier to follow than WEC because of the time zone difference.
When you combine the Independence Day reveal date, Hood’s “non-European tracks” comment, and the “you’ve been asking for it” language, the signals converge on one destination.
4. Five TBA Tracks on the Official Special Events Calendar
If the first three reasons left any doubt, the Q3/Q4 2026 Special Events Calendar removed it. Released alongside V1.3.3, the calendar contains five events at venues listed as TBA:
| Date | Event | Car Classes |
|---|---|---|
| 28 July | 4 Hours TBA | Hypercar, WEC LMP2, LMGT3 |
| 11 August | 8 Hours TBA | Hypercar, WEC LMP2, LMGT3 |
| 22 September | 4 Hours TBA | Hypercar, LMGT3 |
| 6 October | 10 Hours TBA | Hypercar, WEC LMP2, LMGT3 |
| 15 December | 6 Hours TBA | Hypercar, WEC LMP2, LMGT3 |
Look closely at the car classes. Four of the five TBA events place Hypercars, LMP2, and LMGT3 cars on track at the same time. In previous WEC special events, LMP2 cars only appeared at Circuit de la Sarthe. This three-class combination is a core feature of IMSA endurance races, where GTP, LMP2, and GT3 cars share the same grid. Five mystery tracks appearing alongside a confirmed July 4th announcement is not a coincidence.
5. The 10-Hour Special Event
The 10-Hour Race on October 6th Points Directly at Road Atlanta. Of all the TBA slots, October 6th is the most specific clue in the calendar.
A 10-hour race is an unusual duration in sim racing. In the real world, the most famous 10-hour race is the Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, the IMSA WeatherTech Championship finale, held this year on October 3rd.
LMU Special Events follow a clear pattern: they run approximately one week after their real-world counterparts. The 6-hour Le Mans event on June 23rd mirrors the 24 Hours of Le Mans the week before. The 4 Hours of Imola on July 7th follows the ELMS Imola round by a similar margin. A 10-hour race on October 6th, one week after Petit Le Mans, fits that pattern exactly and puts Road Atlanta firmly in frame.
The car classes for that event are Hypercar, WEC LMP2, and LMGT3. It matches the real IMSA field at Petit Le Mans. Road Atlanta as LMU DLC is looking very likely.
Is It Even Possible?
Even if all the clues above align, a deal still needs to be possible. This is where IMSA’s approach to licensing becomes a key part of the argument.
IMSA already supplies its content to multiple sim racing titles simultaneously, with no apparent exclusivity agreements preventing new partners. iRacing hosts the IMSA Esports Global Championship and carries IMSA tracks and GTP cars. Automobilista 2 offers an IMSA Track Pack that includes Sebring, Road Atlanta, and Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, along with GTP and GT3 cars. Forza Motorsport has featured IMSA content for over 20 years. Project Motor Racing recently secured an official IMSA license, joining that list.
IMSA itself actively promotes this, having published a post celebrating its “expanded virtual world presence” across multiple platforms. This is a series that treats sim racing partnerships as a tool for visibility, not a territory to guard. The door is open for Studio 397 to walk through it.
The Verdict
Every thread points the same way. A CEO talking about reaching new markets. An Easter egg timed to the word “Daytona.” A July 4th announcement date. A season pass is described as “something a lot of you have been asking for.” Five mystery tracks on the calendar. A 10-hour race is scheduled one week after Petit Le Mans. A series with a proven track record of open licensing.
Nothing is confirmed yet, but we’ll know the details on July 4th. But if IMSA is not the answer, Motorsport Games has gone to extraordinary lengths to make it look so. We will be watching closely.
