LONDON, UK (7 June 2025)—The new Gran Turismo World Series season kicked off on Saturday, 7 June, at the Television Centre in London’s White City. The main event of the day was the Nations Cup, where drivers compete as proud representatives of their home country or territory.

A field of 12 elite competitors—comprising the top three finishers from the 2024 Nations Cup along with the highest-ranked drivers from each Region in the Online Qualifiers—gathered to battle it out in two separate races before a sold-out crowd. The first was the Sprint Race that determined the grid positions for the all-important Grand Final.

All eyes were on perennial fan favourite Takuma Miyazono, fresh off his second Nations Cup title last season. The nail-biting finish in last year’s championship left more than a few drivers hungry for redemption, and competitors like Spain’s Jose Serrano, Italy’s Valerio Gallo, and France’s Kylian Drumont—all strong contenders in their own right—were gunning for the coveted title of the world’s fastest Gran Turismo driver. The races in London provided a thrilling glimpse of what promises to be an unforgettable season ahead.

Sprint Race: 24 Heures du Mans Racing Circuit, 5 Laps

Although no championship points were awarded in this race, it played a crucial role in setting the starting grid for the Grand Final—the main event of the Nations Cup Round 1. The venue for the Sprint Race was the legendary Sarthe Circuit in Le Mans, France. The drivers climbed into the super exotic Aston Martin Valkyrie, a lightweight supercar boasting 1479 ps.

The starting order for the race was determined in an earlier qualifying session, where Spain’s Jose Serrano (JoseSerrano_16) and Pol Urra (PolUrra) claimed the front row. With no pit stops required, the drivers unleashed their full fury from the start. On the Mulsanne Straight, speeds soared to a blistering 406 km/h as competitors threw caution to the wind, battling for every inch of track on the legendary circuit.

On the opening lap, Adriano Carrazza (Didico__15), running 3rd at the time, lost control through the Mulsanne Chicane, and spun out. A moment later, Chile’s Angel Inostroza (Veloce_Loyrot) was tapped by Japan’s Takuma Miyazono (Kerokkuma_ej20), sending him down to the bottom of the running order.

Meanwhile, Serrano and Urra, working in tandem, steadily extended their lead as the mid-pack drivers continued to jostle for position. Over the next few laps, several drivers were handed penalties for exceeding track limits, each pushing the envelope in an attempt to close the gap to the two Spaniards. By the end of the lap 3, France’s Kylian Drumont (R8G_Kylian19) and Italy’s Valerio Gallo (OP_BRacer)—holding P3 and P4—were in hot pursuit, but by then the lead had grown to a commanding 3.8 seconds.

On the final lap, the gloves came off as Serrano and Urra engaged in an intense battle for the win. After swapping the lead several times, Serrano fended off a daring move by Urra through the Indianapolis Curve to take the chequered flag in the first Nations Cup race of 2025. Drumont secured a well-earned 3rd place, while 4th went to Japan’s Takuma Sasaki (SZ_TakuAn22), who capitalised on Gallo’s minor penalty to slip by and take the position.

Grand Final: Grand Valley - Highway 1 Reverse, 30 Laps

The main event of the day unfolded at the stunning Grand Valley - Highway 1 circuit, where the asphalt weaves its way over the sea and slices through tunnels that echo with the wail of high-performance engines. Pilots climbed into the awe-inspiring Red Bull X2019 Competition—a no-holds-barred, unrestricted race machine—to conquer the gruelling 30-lap battle. With three tyre compounds at their disposal—softs, mediums, and hards—drivers were required to utilise at least two of them. Nearly every competitor opted to begin on the mediums, but as the action unfolded, the drama of divergent tyre strategies revealed itself.

When the green flag waved, the field rocketed away cleanly. Jose Serrano led the charge, with Pol Urra and Kylian Drumont tucked neatly behind through the opening lap. But it was further back where the real drama began to unfold. Kaj de Bruin of the Netherlands (R8G_Kajracer), starting in P10 on the grippiest soft-compound tyres—a bold decision—put on a masterclass of precision and aggression. By the time he completed the first lap, he had already clawed his way up four positions. His Red Bull X2019 continued its relentless assault—dispatching Drumont, Urra, and even the race leader Serrano by the end of lap 3. Nine positions in barely three laps—the Dutchman was in a league of his own.

As de Bruin sought to break free from the chasing pack, drama struck. The race stewards ruled that he had tapped Australia’s Guy Barbara (OP_Twitchy) on the back of his machine while slicing his way through the field—an incident they deemed worthy of a minor penalty. It was a contentious decision, one that didn’t favour the Dutchman. Forced to serve the penalty, de Bruin tumbled to 4th place.

But if anyone thought the Flying Dutchman would roll over, they were sorely mistaken. With steely determination, de Bruin kept his foot planted and surged back to the front within a matter of corners, reclaiming the lead in spectacular fashion. Yet the punishment his soft-compound tyres had endured began to show. Meanwhile, Serrano, Urra, and Drumont, all on the more durable mediums, still had plenty of grip in reserve.

By lap 7, de Bruin’s tyres were crying for mercy, and Urra seized the opportunity to power past and snatch the overall lead. De Bruin, knowing he could push no further, dove into the pits at the end of lap 8, bolting on another set of softs to unleash one more charge. But he knew the game had changed—he would have to make two stops and finish the race on the mediums or hards. As de Bruin ducked into the pits, the drivers on the more durable mediums saw their chance. Serrano swiftly claimed the overall lead. Urra, however, faltered ever so slightly on the exit of a corner—a tiny mistake, but enough for Drumont and Italy’s Valerio Gallo to lunge forward, slotting into P2 and P3, respectively.

Meanwhile, the reigning champion, Japan’s Takuma Miyazono, methodically worked his way into the mix, positioning himself in 4th place, biding his time as the race approached its critical phase. Lap 16 saw de Bruin dive into the pits for his second stop, and he had to finish the race on the medium-compound tyres, making his chances of victory now seem all but out of reach.

Miyazono was the first among the leaders to pit, at the end of lap 17, and bolting on the hards, betting on consistency over outright pace. Drumont followed a lap later, also opting for the hards. Meanwhile, Gallo, Serrano, Urra, and Sasaki stretched their softs to the ragged edge, tyres screaming for mercy, but determined to squeeze every last ounce of speed. Gallo and Sasaki came in first, followed by Serrano and Urra, delaying their stops by a lap.

After the dust had settled from the final pit stops, with eight laps remaining, it was Gallo who led the field, followed by Sasaki in 2nd, Serrano in 3rd, and Urra in 4th. But on lap 24, Serrano and Urra showed that they were in a different league than everyone else on this day, as they sped past Gallo and then Sasaki to reclaim the top two positions. In a flash, they opened a substantial gap, setting the stage for a no-holds-barred sprint to the finish.

Much like in the earlier Sprint Race, the duo waited until the final two laps to unleash everything they had. They ran side by side, wheel to wheel, as Urra threw everything at Serrano in a desperate bid for victory. Yet, with nerves of steel and the composure of a seasoned champion, Serrano deflected every challenge. When the chequered flag finally waved, it was Jose Serrano who crossed the line first, with Pol Urra following just a heartbeat behind. More than five seconds later came Valerio Gallo, who secured the final spot on the podium.

Said Jose Serrano after the race: "It was a tough race. I’m happy with the result with my teammate Pol. We took P1 and P2, it was a fun race."

The Spanish duo of Jose Serrano and Pol Urra proved today that they will be the ones to beat this season in the Nations Cup. Not only were they the fastest on the track, but their tyre strategy was a masterclass in precision and timing, leaving the rest of the field scrambling to keep up. While the championship battle has only just begun, it’s the Spaniards who have thrown down the gauntlet.

Gran Turismo World Series 2025 Round 1 - Nations Cup
Results

Qualifying Time Trial

Car: Gran Turismo Red Bull X2019 Competition
Track: Grand Valley - Highway 1 Reverse

Sprint Race

Car: Aston Martin Valkyrie '21
Track: 24 Heures du Mans Racing Circuit　5 Laps

Fastest Lap: Australia Guy Barbara　3'03.550

Grand Final

Car: Gran Turismo Red Bull X2019 Competition
Track: Grand Valley - Highway 1 Reverse　30 Laps

Fastest Lap: Spain Pol Urra　1'25.634