Sure, let’s dive into it. Brace yourself, it’s going to get a little wild!
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So, get this — I found myself in West London, smack dab at the BBC’s TC1 studio which, by the way, was bursting at the seams with 700 folks. No kidding, it was all about Gran Turismo 7, and yeah, it was the real deal on June 7, 2025. The vibe? Total festival. Outside, shiny cars practically screaming for attention, while inside, a huge screen broadcast the whole shebang. The SIM racing whizzes? Right there in London, gearing up for the Gran Turismo World Series. Feels like a party, honestly.
Now, first up was the Manufacturers Cup. Think of it as a team event where drivers kinda become brand ambassadors for their car makers. Asia-Oceania’s best were there – and we’re talking Tokyo Expressway Gr.3 cars. Sound like jargon? Meh, probably is.
Team BMW’s Seiya Suzuki just snatched the pole like it was no biggie. I mean, Takuya Miyazono, this two-time champ repping Subaru, wasn’t having it easy. Oh, and don’t forget Shota Sato in his Porsche 911 RSR claiming the third spot. Man, I can still hear the roar of the engines.
The Grand Final was like watching a chess game — only faster and louder. Pit stops came into play, choosing between soft and medium tires, and honestly, it was just a dance of strategy. Mid-race, gloves came off and it was all about who had the guts to push harder.
Moment to tattoo on your memory? Lap 16 – cars going berserk, with the Porsche 911 RS getting bumped to the back. Bye-bye, race ambitions! Drama? Oh yeah. It turned into a showdown between Sato’s BMW and Miyazono’s Subaru, with back-and-forth lead swaps. Miyazono pulled off this slick move on the final hairpin. Picture-perfect, I swear. Subaru for the win! BMW and Mazda took second and third, respectively.
Swinging over to the Nations Cup. Same scene, different flavor: Le Mans 24H track – just daaaays before their big race. Spain’s Jose Serrano? Held off Pol Urra, which snagged him a prime pole position for the finale. Love a good prep story.
Then came the Red Bull X2019 competition cars, shining their nations’ colors, racing backwards on Gran Valley Highway. Talk about a racing carnival. The tension was thicker than a brick sandwich. You had medium tires all around, except our brave bugger from the Netherlands, Kaj de Bruin. He dared to ride on softs and rocketed from P10 to the lead. Didn’t last though, pressure’s a cruel thief.
Hit over 320 km/h on the straights — just machines and madness. Tire choices made careers or broke dreams. At the end? Jose Serrano scraped through, victory within two-tenths of a second. By then, I could practically hear the crowd collectively holding its breath. Utterly breathtaking.
And now, buckle up for more thrill rides in Berlin, LA, and finally in Japan. Seriously, if this doesn’t make you wanna book tickets, I dunno what will.
Catch you at the circuit? Maybe in Berlin? Let’s see where these petrol dreams take us next!
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Hope you enjoyed that little detour!
