Drumont sweeps Tokyo Gran Turismo World Series Nations Cup

Round 2 of the 2026 Gran Turismo World Series Nations Cup took place at Polyphony Digital’s headquarters in Koto-ku, where 12 of the world’s top drivers gathered for the season’s only closed-door event. With no live audience in attendance, the focus fell entirely on the racing – and Tokyo delivered plenty of drama.

Defending champion Jose Serrano of Spain headed a field that also included two-time champion Takuma Miyazono of Japan, former champion Valerio Gallo of Italy, Milan winner Pol Urra and rising Spanish star Samuel Moreno.

Sprint Race: Suzuka Circuit, 8 laps

The Sprint Race featured performance cars from the 1990s and 2000s, with Balance of Performance adjustments keeping the field closely matched.

France’s Kylian Drumont started from pole in the Honda NSX Type R, with Gallo alongside in a Honda S2000. Serrano lined up third in a Nissan Skyline GT-R R34.

Drumont led cleanly from the start, while Serrano quickly moved past Gallo for second. Moreno, driving a Lamborghini Diablo, advanced to 4th before a mistake and subsequent penalty dropped him down the order.

Further back, Miyazono worked his way from ninth to sixth in the Toyota Supra, but Pol Urra reclaimed the position on the final lap.

At the front, Drumont was never seriously threatened. He controlled the race from beginning to end, taking the checkered flag and securing pole position for the Grand Final.

Grand Final: Deep Forest Raceway Reverse, 35 laps

For the Grand Final, all 12 drivers climbed into the Red Bull X2019 Competition. Soft, medium and hard Dunlop tires were available, with all three compounds required during the race. Most of the leaders started on mediums, while Miyazono chose hards, committing to an alternate strategy.

Serrano wasted no time attacking Drumont. The Spaniard drafted into the lead on the opening lap, only for Drumont to immediately take the position back. Serrano regained the lead on lap 5 as Urra, Gallo and the rest of the front-runners remained within striking distance.

The race changed dramatically once the pit strategies began to unfold. Gallo emerged as the biggest gambler, fitting soft tires while many of his rivals switched to hards. The extra grip paid off. On lap 21, he passed Serrano for 2nd, then swept past Lucas Bonelli to take the lead.

By lap 24, Gallo had opened a five-second advantage. The problem was that he still had to use the slower hard compound. Serrano, Drumont, Urra and Moreno made their final stops on lap 26, all switching to soft tires. Gallo pitted two laps later and rejoined seven seconds ahead, but now had to defend on hards against two former champions on the fastest compound.

The gap disappeared quickly. Serrano moved past Drumont for second and caught Gallo on lap 33. As Serrano forced his way through, Drumont attacked at the same time. Contact between the two resulted in a one-second penalty for the defending champion.

That penalty decided the race. When Serrano slowed to serve it on the final lap, Drumont swept past, followed by Gallo, Moreno and Ryota Kokubun. Serrano fell all the way to 5th.

Drumont crossed the line to complete a perfect Tokyo sweep, winning both the Sprint Race and Grand Final. Gallo finished second, rebounding from his heartbreaking Milan result, while Moreno claimed his first Nations Cup Grand Final podium in third. Kokubun finished fourth in his home country, followed by Serrano and Urra.

Tokyo reshuffled the early championship picture. Spain may have dominated Milan, but Drumont’s sweep and Gallo’s resurgence showed that the 2026 Nations Cup is far from settled. With Singapore next, the fight for the title remains wide open.