2025 Gran Turismo World Series kicks off with Manufacturers' Cup in London

The inaugural live event of the eighth season of the Gran Turismo World Series (GTWS) kicked off on June 7, captivating a sold-out crowd at the Television Centre in London, UK. First up was the Manufacturers Cup, where Lexus sought to defend its 2024 championship with a formidable lineup of drivers.

The Manufacturers Cup brings together the top-ranked manufacturers from the Online Qualifiers, joined by Official Partners Toyota and Mazda, for a total of 12 competing teams. Each manufacturer is represented by a trio of drivers — one from each of the Europe/Middle East/Africa, Americas, and Asia-Oceania Regions — selected based on their performance in the Online Qualifiers. At this event, the spotlight was on the 12 drivers representing the Asia-Oceania Region as they took to the track in the first event of the season.

In qualifying, BMW set the pace early, seizing pole position for the inaugural race thanks to Japan’s Seiya Suzuki. Lining up alongside him was two-time Nations Cup champion Takuya Miyazono representing Team Subaru. Third on the grid was Team Porsche’s 911 RSR, driven by Shota Sato.

The Grand Final unfolded on the challenging Tokyo Expressway course, where strategy played a decisive role. Teams were required to make one pit stop and had to choose between soft compound and medium compound tires. The frontrunners, BMW and Subaru, adopted similar strategies, starting on softs to build an early lead before switching to mediums for the final stint. The rest of the field opted to begin on mediums.

The early stages of the race saw drivers hold their positions, assessing both the track and their rivals. But once all the competitors had completed their sole pit stops, the tone shifted dramatically and the gloves came off.

Lap 16 delivered a moment to remember. A fierce midfield battle involving multiple cars erupted, and in the chaos, the Porsche 911 RS was nudged from behind, sending it to the back of the field and effectively ending its race. The race culminated in a tense final showdown between Sato in the BMW and Miyazono in the Subaru. The two drivers traded the lead several times, but it was Miyazono who executed a flawless pass in his BRZ GT300 at the last hairpin, slipping by Sato’s M6 GT3 to take the checkered flag and the six championship points. BMW settled for five points, while Team Mazda, led by veteran Ryota Kokubun in the RX-VISION GT3, claimed the final podium spot and four points.

Every car, every team proved to be fast and competitive. Although Subaru claimed victory in this battle, it’s clear that the 2025 Manufacturers Cup season is far from settled.

Round 2 of the Gran Turismo World Series will be held in Berlin on September 20th. Watch it live on RACER Network.