The 2022 “Gran Turismo World Series” in Monaco was a good start for the 25 of Gran Turismoe Birthday celebrations. A four-day racing festival saw three champions crowned, a new Ferrari Vision Gran Turismo unveiled, a close Pro-Am race in which BWT Alpine F1 Team driver Esteban Ocon was beaten to victory, another race between the agent GT Sophy AI and some of the World Series’ top drivers, an online appearance from seven-time F1 World Champion Sir Lewis Hamilton, great cars on display and plenty of opportunities for the Gran Turismo community to get involved and earn prizes. prize in the game.
First, the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing GT Cup on Thursday November 24th. After two highly competitive semi-finals and a last chance repechage, 12 drivers lined up for the Grand Final, 30 laps around Fuji International Speedway in the TOYOTA GR010 HYBRID – the real version of which was on display at the event . It was 2018 Nations Cup champion, Brazilian Igor Fraga, who delivered a dominating performance to claim victory and a trophy presented by TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Europe Vice-President Kazuki Nakajima.
On Friday, it was time to whittle down a field of 30 Nations Cup drivers to a final 12 – and crown three regional champions in the process. Takuma Miyazono (JPN), three-time champion in 2020, took top honors for the Asia-Oceania Region. The EMEA race was won by Spaniard Coque López, a player who has competed in every GT World Series event since its inception in 2018. Finally, it was the turn of the Americas region and in-form Chilean Angel Inostroza was crowned champion and booked his place in Sunday’s grand finale.
With the line-up for Sunday’s Nations Cup final confirmed, on Saturday the focus shifted to the Constructors’ Cup. Twelve three-driver teams represented major World Series manufacturers, including series partners Toyota, Genesis and Mazda. With points already accrued from all three World Series events and July’s Salzburg World Series Showdown, more points would be awarded in Race 1 and a double-point Grand Final.
Team Porsche took the most from Race 1, with pre-event points leaders and favorites Team Toyota in second place. Team Mercedes-AMG rounded out the top three, while World Series Showdown winners in July, Team Subaru, appeared to have dropped out of the race with a sixth-place finish.
Going to the famous circuit of Spa-Francorchamps for the Grand Final, the sky was looking threatening and the weather would prove to be a decisive factor in a spellbinding endurance race. The rain started to fall, forcing riders to opt for intermediate or fully wet tyres. Intermediates seemed to have been the best choice as conditions improved. However, the rain started again in the final stages of this 30-lap race and this time it did not dissipate, leav ing those who upgraded to full rain to finish stronger. Team Subaru’s superb racing art and excellent tire choices allowed them to win just ahead of Team Toyota and Team Mercedes-AMG in third place.
The result left Subaru and Toyota level on points, but it was Subaru’s Daniel Solis (USA), Takuma Miyazono (JPN) and Kylian Drumont (FRA) who lifted the stunning Boccioni-inspired Constructors’ Cup trophy as as world champions thanks to their victory in the Grand Final.
And so on to the Nations Cup Grand Final on Sunday for even more excitement. French Formula 1 driver Esteban Ocon was in the crowd at the Sporting Monte Carlo (venue of the world final) which was treated to some captivating entertainment. During a packed Nations Cup broadcast, Ferrari Chief Design Officer Flavio Manzoni unveiled the stunning Ferrari Vision Gran Turismo that will soon appear in Gran Turismo 7. The crowds then witnessed equally spectacular races.
A one-lap qualifying session set the grid for 30 laps around the Trial Mountain circuit (reverse) in the 2019 Red Bull X competition in national liveries. Japan’s Takuma Miyazono qualified on pole, but Spaniard Coque López was only a thousandth of a second behind.
In what turned out to be a magnificent race full of intrigue and different tire strategies, López and Miyazono led the field on the penultimate lap but had a mandatory stop to make to switch to the slower hard tyres. Coming out of the pit lane, the pair were dissected by Chilean Angel Inostroza who was on soft tyres. After an action-packed and incident-laden final lap, López took the checkered flag from Inostroza and Miyazono, but the celebrations were snuffed out as a notification of an “incident under investigation ” was reported and the drivers and the public awaited the verdict of the stewards. . When the judgment was made that the collisions were ‘a racing incident’, the celebrations were able to begin in style for the Spaniard. As in the Manufacturers Cup, there was a tie at the top of the standings. López and Inostroza were both on 30 points, but the Spaniard’s victory in the Grand Final earned him the World Championship and left the Chilean bitterly disappointed. The third step of the podium goes to the Brazilian Igor Fraga.
It had been a very entertaining four days of racing with drama, excitement, distinguished guests and Monaco glamour. If you missed it, check out the streams on the Gran Turismo YouTube channel – https://www.youtube.com/@GRANTURISMOTV
The celebration of 25 years of Gran Turismo continues
The Gran Turismo 25e The anniversary celebration continues as the increased rewards campaign, day 4 of the “Gift to the Viewers” campaign for the Ferrari Vision Gran Turismo and the distribution of the Global Finals liveries are still available (see below for specific details. Internet connection required to access.)
Increased rewards campaign
For a limited time (ends December 5), there will be increased rewards for each race in “Sport” mode!
- Daily races
- Ends December 5
- Daily Race A will feature a race like the World Finals
- During this period, credit rewards for applicable events will be 5 times higher than usual
- Online time trial
- Ends December 5
- Full recreation of the World Finals races which will be run as a time trial
- During this period, credit rewards for applicable events will be 2x higher than usual
The “Viewers Gift” campaign rewards the Ferrari Vision Gran Turismo
- The ‘Viewers Gift’ campaign aims to reward everyone who watches our live streams every day via an online quiz mechanism.
- Watch the World Final and answer Day 4 Q&A for early access to the Ferrari Vision Gran Turismo
- Reward ends Dec 4 at 7:59am PST / 3:59pm GMT
Distribution of the World Finals livery
Until January 3rd 2023, GT World Series World Finals special liveries will be available in the “Recommended” section of the Showcase pavilion, including the X2019 in national colors and some of the Manufacturers Cup special liveries.
Happy 25e anniversary at Gran Turismo. Judging by the GT World Series World Finals, the next 25 years will be even more exciting.
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