BERLIN, Germany— The second event of the 2025 Gran Turismo World Series (GTWS) took center stage today at the Uber Eats Music Hall in Berlin, Germany. The action began with a tactical battle in the Manufacturers Cup, setting the tone for the Nations Cup, where drivers raced not only for themselves but as proud representatives of their countries and territories—each with eyes fixed on the ultimate prize: the title of Nations Cup champion.

Twelve of the very best lined up for the challenge: the top three finishers from the 2024 World Series Nations Cup, joined by the highest-ranked contenders from each Region of the Online Qualifiers. Together, they formed a field worthy of the occasion—an elite gathering of drivers prepared to battle in the second round of the season, a contest that will help determine who can truly lay claim to being the fastest driver in the world.

All eyes were on the Spanish duo of Jose Serrano (JoseSerrano_16) and Pol Urra (PolUrra), whose tire strategy and incredible driving in the opening event of the season sent the rest of the field scrambling to keep up. The question for Round 2 was, could anyone challenge this lightning-fast duo? The answer to that question began with the Sprint Race.

Sprint Race: Autodromo Nazionale Monza No Chicane, 12 Laps

Although no championship points were on the line, this race decided the all-important starting grid for the Grand Final. The venue was the legendary Autodromo Nazionale Monza in Italy, and the car was the iconic Porsche 962 C, a machine boasting more than 700 hp and a reputation as one of the most fearsome cars ever built.

Qualifying had set the tone, with Japan’s Takuma Sasaki (SZ_TakuAn22) snatching pole position. Just behind him, the French duo of Thomas Labouteley (BSCOMP_Aphe) and Kylian Drumont (R8G_Kylian19) sat in P2 and P3, while Brazil’s Adriano Carrazza (Didico__15) lined up 4th. The Spaniards, Pol Urra and Jose Serrano, completed the third row. With pitstops out of the equation, this promised to be twelve laps of pure, unrelenting speed.

As the green lights flashed, the pack thundered past the starting line, the Porsches reached speeds in excess of 300 km/h (186 mph) before reaching the first corner. Kaj de Bruin (R8G_Kajracer) of the Netherlands wasted no time making his mark, clawing his way up three places to P4 by the end of the second lap. From there, the front-runners went to work. Sasaki, Labouteley, Drumont, and de Bruin separated themselves from the pack, trading positions and pushing one another to the edge as the laps ticked down.

When it was over, it was Drumont who emerged triumphant, taking the checkered flag and with it, pole position for the Grand Final. Labouteley followed closely in 2nd place, while Sasaki held firm for P3. Despite a late-race penalty, de Bruin’s bold drive secured him P4 on the Grand Final grid, with Urra right on his heels. Serrano, meanwhile, could manage only a 7th-place finish—a surprising result for the Spaniard. But as everyone in the paddock knew, dismissing him in the Grand Final would be a big mistake.

Grand Final: Red Bull Ring, 30 Laps

The main event of the day took place at the venerated Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria, where twelve of the world’s best strapped into the no-holds-barred Red Bull X2019 Competition—a race machine with performance limited only by the driver’s skill and courage. Thirty laps lay ahead, with strategy hinging on tire choices: slicks, intermediates, and wets. With a damp track under threatening skies, every driver chose to start on the intermediate Dunlops.

The drama began immediately. Kaj de Bruin, Italy’s Valerio Gallo (OP_BRacer), and Spain’s Pol Urra all sped past Japan’s Takuma Sasaki, who struggled with braking on the slick surface. Before the opening lap was over, Serrano also pushed through, dropping Sasaki to 7th place in the blink of an eye—a nightmare start for the young Japanese driver.

By lap 3, “the Flying Dutchman,” de Bruin, had powered into 2nd place, closing in on leader France’s Kylian Drumont. As the skies lightened, the pit lane beckoned. Labouteley was the first to act, switching to slicks at the end of lap 5. Serrano followed one lap later, and by lap 7, most of the field had joined them. When the shuffle was complete, Labouteley found himself in the lead, trailed by Serrano, Drumont, and de Bruin.

The pace was relentless. With speeds touching 300 km/h (186 mph), the margin for error was razor-thin. By lap 10, just one and a half seconds separated the top six. Dark clouds returned on the horizon, forcing drivers to split their focus between the track ahead and the weather display. On lap 15, the leaders pitted for intermediate tires once again, expecting rain. But several—including Serrano, Urra, Gallo, and Australia’s Guy Barbara (OP_Twitchy)—chose to stay out on the slicks, a gamble that could make or break their races.
Their decision was soon tested. The rain arrived on lap 16, light at first, but enough to unsettle the slick tires. By lap 18, most of the front-runners surrendered and switched back to the intermediates. Labouteley emerged ahead, chased by de Bruin, Drumont, and Serrano.

On lap 20, de Bruin muscled past Labouteley to take the lead, with Drumont following. For a moment, it looked like a four-way fight to the finish. But as in London, Serrano had found another gear. Showing pace no one else could match, he stormed past 3rd-place Labouteley and 2nd-place Drumont, then reeled in de Bruin. Through the sweeping Rindt corner on lap 24, Serrano made the decisive pass, seizing command of the race.

Chaos erupted on lap 26. Drumont and Labouteley collided—a light tap but enough to send them tumbling down the order—while Urra and Gallo capitalized, vaulting into 2nd and 3rd place, respectively. With nothing left to lose, de Bruin, Drumont, and Labouteley decided to roll the dice one final time and take to the pits, the two Frenchmen switching back to slicks, while the Dutchman opted for another set of intermediates.

Currently running in a solid P2, for some reason, Urra also dove into the pits—a disastrous move that ultimately dropped him out of podium contention and left the crowd and announcers scratching their heads.

Serrano, meanwhile, chose to stay out on the worn intermediates. It was the right decision. With unshakable focus, he brought his Red Bull X2019, bathed in Spain’s national colors, across the finish line to claim his second consecutive Nations Cup victory of the season. Italy’s Valerio Gallo delivered a gutsy run to 2nd place, while de Bruin battled back to secure his first-ever GTWS podium in third. Japan’s Takuma Sasaki and defending champion Takuma Miyazono (Kerokkuma_ej20) rounded out the top five.

Serrano now stands atop the championship ranking with 12 points, ahead of Gallo with nine and Urra with six. Exhausted but jubilant, Serrano reflected: “This was one of the toughest races I’ve ever run. The strategy was so unpredictable with the weather—I had no idea what would happen. It might have been a great show for the audience, but for me, it was incredibly stressful, but in the end, I’m super happy with the result.”

With Round 2 now in the books, the Gran Turismo World Series shifts gears and heads across the Atlantic. The next stop: Los Angeles, where the glamor and glitz of Southern California will provide a vibrant backdrop for Round 3. After the drama in Berlin, the pressure will only intensify as the world’s fastest GT racers converge on the City of Angels to continue their quest for GTWS glory.