TOKYO, Japan (August 15, 2026)—Round 2 of the 2026 Gran Turismo World Series Manufacturers Cup brought the competition home to the birthplace of Gran Turismo, with the 12 manufacturer teams gathering at Polyphony Digital’s offices in Koto-ku, Tokyo. Unlike the other rounds on the calendar, this was the season’s only non-live event. There were no spectators or grandstands—only the drivers, their racing rigs and the pressure of competing inside the studio where the series was created.

The Manufacturers Cup, a showcase uniting the highest-ranked automakers from the Online Qualifiers—joined by Official Partners Toyota, and Mazda—features 12 powerhouse teams, each represented by a trio of elite racers drawn from the Europe/Middle East/Africa, Americas, and Asia-Oceania regions. Here in Tokyo, all eyes turned to the contestants from the Asia-Oceana Region as they braced for the high-stakes Round 2 showdown.

Sota Moriyama (SFE_Morley) placed the Audi R8 LMS on pole, with Takuma Sasaki (SZ_TakuAn22) alongside in the Porsche 911 GT3. Yuki Kodaka (SFE_VELTRO) qualified 3rd in the Lamborghini Huracán GT3, followed by Jun Hashima’s (TenagaZaru-0310) Ferrari 296 GT3, Ryota Kokubun’s (Akagi_1942mi) Mazda RX-Vision GT3 and Kenta Morimoto’s (HeAvN_-) Toyota GR Supra. Subaru, Nissan, Lexus, BMW, Mercedes-AMG and Volkswagen completed the grid.

Grand Final: Fuji International Speedway - 27 laps

The Grand Final began beneath dark clouds on a rain-soaked circuit. No mandatory tire change had been imposed, leaving each driver free to choose among Dunlop softs, mediums, intermediates and heavy wets as the conditions evolved. The first seven starters selected intermediate tires, while three drivers farther down the order chose heavy wets. With standing water across the track and visibility reduced by spray, the field approached the opening laps cautiously.

Sasaki made the first decisive move. Moriyama carried too much speed into the first corner and ran wide as the Audi struggled for grip, allowing the Porsche through for the lead. Sasaki immediately appeared comfortable in the wet and, by lap 4, had established a useful advantage. Behind him, the field remained tightly packed, with most gaps measuring less than a second. Only Dhanesh Wigneswaran’s Volkswagen Beetle Gr.3 had begun to lose contact with the group ahead.

The Porsche continued to look composed, but the weather was already changing. By lap 10, the rain had eased and the clouds began to break. A dry line gradually appeared, turning the race from a test of restraint into a contest of timing and tire judgment.

The first major strategic moves came on lap 12, when Hiroshi Okumoto brought the Nissan GT-R Nismo into the pits and Kanata Kawakami followed in the Lexus RC F. Both abandoned their heavy wets for dry medium-compound Dunlops. As the surface improved, more drivers committed to slick tires despite the absence of a required stop.

On lap 13, the leading trio of Sasaki (Porsche), Moriyama (Audi) and Kodaka (Lamborghini) came in together. Sasaki and Moriyama selected the faster soft-compound Dunlops, gambling that they could build enough of an advantage before the tires began to lose performance. Kodaka chose a more conservative option, positioning the Lamborghini Huracán to remain competitive later in the race. The key question was whether the Porsche and Audi could preserve their speed all the way to the checkered flag.

By lap 20, the aggressive strategy by the race leaders appeared to be working. Sasaki and Moriyama had opened a gap of roughly five seconds over the chasing pack, with the Porsche still firmly in control. Behind them, Kodaka, Kokubun (Mazda RX-Vision) and Hashima (Ferrari) remained within striking distance on more durable tires, hoping the leaders’ softs would fade before the finish.

The decisive fight developed behind Sasaki. Kodaka steadily closed on Moriyama and reached the Audi on the final lap, beginning a fierce battle for 2nd place. The Lamborghini and Audi exchanged positions several times as both drivers searched for grip and defended each braking zone. Kodaka ultimately forced the Huracan ahead and held the position to the line.

Sasaki, meanwhile, remained beyond reach. He brought the Porsche 911 GT3 home for a commanding victory, combining assured wet-weather driving with a perfectly judged switch to soft tires as the circuit dried. Yuki Kodaka claimed 2nd for Lamborghini, with Sota Moriyama completing the podium for Audi. Ryota Kokubun finished 4th in the Mazda, followed by Jun Hashima’s Ferrari and Seiya Suzuki’s (ZETA_Suzuki) BMW M6 GT3 in the final points-paying position.

The result gives Porsche the championship lead after two consecutive victories, with Ferrari in 2nd. Three manufacturers are tied for 3rd, however, leaving the title race wide open as the series heads to Singapore for Round 3.

Round 2 may have unfolded without a live audience, but the racing lacked nothing in drama. At Fuji, Takuma Sasaki showed that when conditions become unpredictable, outright speed is only part of the equation. The victory belonged to the driver who read the track best.