The Gran Turismo World Finals have come to a close in Amsterdam, and Team Lexus continues the Japanese Manufacturers Cup-winning streak. Japan's Takuma Miyazono took home a hard-fought second Nations Cup title.
Eventual championship winners, Team Lexus
Team BMW and Team Lexus were at each other's throats for most of the race, with BMW just having that extra bit of pace to hold off the charging Lexus. Side-by-side racing was the name of the game, with Spanish driver Lopez taking it to BMW's Frenchman, Thomas Labouteley.
A fast-qualifying Honda soon found itself in strife and started dropping down the order. Team Chevrolet and Team Porsche fell foul of the sudden weather change with solo spins, putting both teams to the back of the field, just in front of the struggling Team Audi in 12th.
Team BMW (Left) Team Lexus (Central) Team Genesis (Right)
Back to the front of the pack, Team BMW managed to bridge a gap with Lexus in the final few laps. However, it was not enough to put them on the podium's top step, with Lexus beating them to the overall title by just one point.
It was heartbreaking for BMW but a joyful day for Lexus. Both teams, joined by third-place Team Genesis, took to the podium to celebrate and congratulate everyone on another fantastic year of Manufacturers Cup racing.
The final result for the Manufacturers Cup is that Lexus champions are being crowned. Image: Gran Turismo
The new F3500-A, the 1990s-inspired open-wheeler coming to Gran Turismo 7. Image: Polyphony Digital
The McLaren MP4/4, which the drivers had been practising with for the semi-finals, was dropped at the very last moment in favour of the F3500-A, a new 90s-inspired Formula car debuting in Gran Turismo 7.
The drivers adapted well, as they should do, being the very best in the world, but the Italian and former champion Valerio Gallo found the wall at Monza, ruining his title charge after a fantastic first semi-final race.
The final rolled around, and the twelve best drivers in the world took to the stage once again, this time behind the wheel of the familiar Red Bull X2019, a car that has brought many drivers on this year's World Final grid success in previous events both in 2024 and in the past.
After some of the most intense and fast-paced laps of the Nürburgring you will ever see in professional sim racing, the fight for the top six positions came down to the last handful of corners on the last lap. Dutchman Kaj De Bruin, and then race leader, ran out of fuel. Blocking the circuit, putting Italian Valerio Gallo into the wall and slowing down everyone but the eventual winner, Takuma Miyazono.
What did you think about the GT World Finals? Did it fulfil your expectations? Let us know in the comments down below!
Manufacturers Cup
The first event of the GT World Finals, the Manufacturers Cup, opened the event in style! Team Lexus, piloted by Coque Lopez of Spain, a last-minute replacement for Igor Fraga, with Hararld Walsen of Chile and Kanata Kawakami of Japan, took home the title by just one point despite finishing second to Team BMW on the road in the Manufacturers Cup final at Spa-Francorchamps.Eventual championship winners, Team Lexus
Team BMW and Team Lexus were at each other's throats for most of the race, with BMW just having that extra bit of pace to hold off the charging Lexus. Side-by-side racing was the name of the game, with Spanish driver Lopez taking it to BMW's Frenchman, Thomas Labouteley.
A fast-qualifying Honda soon found itself in strife and started dropping down the order. Team Chevrolet and Team Porsche fell foul of the sudden weather change with solo spins, putting both teams to the back of the field, just in front of the struggling Team Audi in 12th.
Team BMW (Left) Team Lexus (Central) Team Genesis (Right)
Back to the front of the pack, Team BMW managed to bridge a gap with Lexus in the final few laps. However, it was not enough to put them on the podium's top step, with Lexus beating them to the overall title by just one point.
It was heartbreaking for BMW but a joyful day for Lexus. Both teams, joined by third-place Team Genesis, took to the podium to celebrate and congratulate everyone on another fantastic year of Manufacturers Cup racing.
The final result for the Manufacturers Cup is that Lexus champions are being crowned. Image: Gran Turismo
Nations Cup
Here we go. This is the big one. The Nations Cup is the event every competitive Gran Turismo driver dreams of winning, not just for themselves but for the country they represent. Each country's driver has trained and practised for years to get every last tenth out of their car as possible. This year, however, the teams were thrown a curveball.The new F3500-A, the 1990s-inspired open-wheeler coming to Gran Turismo 7. Image: Polyphony Digital
The McLaren MP4/4, which the drivers had been practising with for the semi-finals, was dropped at the very last moment in favour of the F3500-A, a new 90s-inspired Formula car debuting in Gran Turismo 7.
The drivers adapted well, as they should do, being the very best in the world, but the Italian and former champion Valerio Gallo found the wall at Monza, ruining his title charge after a fantastic first semi-final race.
The final rolled around, and the twelve best drivers in the world took to the stage once again, this time behind the wheel of the familiar Red Bull X2019, a car that has brought many drivers on this year's World Final grid success in previous events both in 2024 and in the past.
After some of the most intense and fast-paced laps of the Nürburgring you will ever see in professional sim racing, the fight for the top six positions came down to the last handful of corners on the last lap. Dutchman Kaj De Bruin, and then race leader, ran out of fuel. Blocking the circuit, putting Italian Valerio Gallo into the wall and slowing down everyone but the eventual winner, Takuma Miyazono.
Pos. | Driver | Time | World Series Points |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Takuma Miyazono | 46:26.252 | 24 |
2 | Kylian Drumont | +03.423 | 20 |
3 | Kaj de Bruin | +05.972 | 16 |
4 | Valerio Gallo | +11.325 | 14 |
5 | Takuma Sasaki | +12.612 | 12 |
6 | Jose Serrano | +13.996 | 10 |
7 | Angel Inostroza | +14.626 | 8 |
8 | Guy Barbara | +17.268 | 6 |
9 | Coque López | +17.747 | 4 |
10 | Adriano Carrazza | +21.786 | 2 |
11 | Robert Heck | +35.850 | 0 |
12 | Calen Roach | +1:05.938 | 0 |
What did you think about the GT World Finals? Did it fulfil your expectations? Let us know in the comments down below!