Sasaki wins Tokyo Gran Turismo Manufacturers Cup

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

In Tokyo, drivers from the Asia-Oceania region represented their manufacturers, and the unpredictable weather at Fuji International Speedway would make Round 2 as much a test of judgment as outright speed.

Sota Moriyama put the Audi R8 LMS on pole, with Takuma Sasaki alongside in the Porsche 911 GT3. Yuki Kodaka qualified 3rd in the Lamborghini Huracán GT3, followed by Jun Hashima in the Ferrari 296 GT3, Ryota Kokubun in the Mazda RX-Vision GT3 and Kenta Morimoto in the Toyota GR Supra.

Track: Fuji International Speedway, 27 laps

Dark clouds hung over Fuji as the Grand Final began on a rain-soaked circuit. With no mandatory tire change, drivers could choose among Dunlop softs, mediums, intermediates and heavy wets. The first seven starters selected intermediates, while three farther down the grid opted for full wets.

Sasaki wasted little time making his move. Moriyama carried too much speed into Turn 1 and ran wide, allowing the Porsche to slip through and take the lead. Sasaki immediately looked comfortable in the treacherous conditions, opening an advantage by lap 4 while the field behind remained tightly packed.

By lap 10, however, the rain had eased and a dry line began forming. What started as a test of wet-weather driving quickly became a strategic gamble over when to abandon the rain tires.

Hiroshi Okumoto made the first move on lap 12, bringing his Nissan GT-R Nismo into the pits for dry medium-compound Dunlops. Kanata Kawakami followed in the Lexus RC F, and as the circuit continued to dry, slick tires quickly became the faster option.

On lap 13, Sasaki, Moriyama and Kodaka pitted together. Sasaki and Moriyama chose soft tires, gambling on outright speed, while Kodaka opted for a more conservative strategy in hopes of having stronger tires late in the race.

By lap 20, Sasaki and Moriyama had opened a gap of roughly five seconds over the chasing pack, with the Porsche still firmly in command. Behind them, Kodaka, Kokubun and Hashima remained close enough to capitalize if the leaders’ soft tires faded.

Sasaki never gave them the opportunity. Instead, the late drama centered on second place. Kodaka steadily reeled in Moriyama and caught the Audi on the final lap. The Lamborghini and Audi exchanged positions in a fierce battle before Kodaka finally forced his way ahead and held the position to the line.

Up front, Sasaki was already gone. 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 Fuji dried. Kodaka claimed second for Lamborghini, while pole-sitter Moriyama completed the podium for Audi. Kokubun finished fourth for Mazda, followed by Hashima’s Ferrari and Seiya Suzuki in the BMW M6 GT3.

The victory gave Porsche its second consecutive Manufacturers Cup win of 2026 and strengthened its championship lead. Ferrari remained 2nd, while three manufacturers were tied for 3rd heading into Round 3 in Singapore.

Round 2 may have taken place without a live crowd, but Fuji provided plenty of drama. The rain created the challenge, the drying circuit created the gamble, and Sasaki made the right call when it mattered most.