If you're a fan of endurance racing... actually, I'll stop there because everyone should be a fan of endurance racing. What we're dealing with is a sport that is very nearly the highest level of performance in the world of motorsports. Everything needs to come together to earn a victory in the endurance racing arena, and it's where you'll find automakers pouring massive amounts of money and engineering efforts just to capture that brief moment atop a podium.

One of the most exciting classes in endurance racing is, of course, the LMP category. Now there's a new member of this group, ultimately aimed at replacing the LMPC category. The Automobile Club de l'Ouest, or ACO, has announced the formation of the LMP3 category, which will serve as a gateway for racing teams to explore the prototype side of motorsports in the World Endurance Championship.

According to the newly formed category, the LMP3 cars will look much like their larger LMP1 and LMP2 siblings. We're dealing with closed-cockpit machines that feature carbon chassis and metal rollcages. The familiar shark fin is also required to be present in the LMP3 design. The cars will weigh between 1,918 and 1,984 pounds (870 kg - 900 kg), and power will come from a V-8 engine that will produce around 420 horsepower.

The builder Oreca will supply the vehicles, which are going to cost no more than $264,000 (195,000 euros). Additionally, it seems that a season shouldn't cost a team more than $550,000. This is an entry-level LMP class that's focused on bringing more young talent and gentleman drivers to the big stage. We can't wait to see what LMP3 brings to the show when it arrives in 2015.