The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), founding partner of the "FIA Certified Gran Turismo Championships," is collaborating with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to host the world's first-ever "Olympic Virtual Series Motor Sport Event." The announcement was made on April 26.

The Olympic Virtual Series is a cooperation between the IOC and five International Sports Federations and gaming publishers. The five official sports are baseball, cycling, rowing, sailing, and motor sport, the last of which will be contested on Gran Turismo Sport. Players from all around the world will be able to put their driving skills to the test and go for the gold.

The Olympic Virtual Series will begin on May 13 and go until June 23, 2021. The Global Online Qualification will be held in the form of a time trial event, with the top 16 competitors qualifying for a place at the World Final.

The World Final will be broadcast on June 23, Olympic Day that commemorates the birth of the modern Olympic Games back on the same day in 1894. The goal is to promote participation in sport across the globe regardless of age, gender or athletic abilities. Be sure to catch all the action in this historic event!

Olympic Virtual Series Motor Sport Event Overview

Race Schedule

Global Online Qualification: May 13 to May 23, 2021
At the end of the Global Online Qualification, the following number of competitors will be selected from each region according to their ranking: Europe/Middle East/Africa (7), Asia (4), North America (2), Central & South America (2), Oceania (1).

World Final: Broadcast on June 23, 2021
The competitor with the most accumulated points after all three races will become the winner.

Entry Criteria

Owners of a PlayStation®4 or PlayStation®5 console and a copy of Gran Turismo Sport, with an account for PlayStation™Network created from one of the following countries/territories:

Argentina / Australia / Austria / Bahrain / Belgium / Brazil / Bulgaria / Canada / Chile / China / Chinese Taipei / Colombia / Costa Rica / Czech Republic / Denmark / Ecuador / El Salvador / Finland / France / Germany / Greece / Guatemala / Honduras / Hong Kong / Hungary / India (excluding State of Nagaland) / Indonesia / Ireland / Italy / Japan / Korea / Kuwait / Lebanon / Malaysia / Mexico / Netherlands / New Zealand / Nicaragua / Norway / Oman / Panama / Paraguay / Peru / Poland / Portugal / Qatar / Romania / Russia / Saudi Arabia / Singapore / Slovakia / South Africa / Spain / Sweden / Switzerland / Thailand / Turkey / Ukraine / United Arab Emirates (UAE) / UK / Uruguay / USA

(Must be aged 18 or over at the time of the event to participate at the World Final, except in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates where competitors must be 21 years old and up on the starting date of the event.)

FIA President, Jean Todt

I am delighted that the FIA is joining forces with the IOC for this highly prestigious and innovative sporting contest, and I would like to thank [IOC President] Thomas Bach for putting his faith in us. We share the same values and are proud of the diversity and inclusion offered Digital Motor Sport, which promotes mass participation by removing most of the traditional barriers to entry.

FIA Deputy President for Sport, Graham Stoker

The Olympic Virtual Series aligns perfectly with our strategy to foster the growth and development of the Digital Motor Sport and, in so doing, extend the appeal of our wonderful sport to fresh audiences. I look forward to following the competition closely as we continue to discover exciting new talent.

Gran Turismo Series Producer, Kazunori Yamauchi

We are honoured that Gran Turismo has been appointed as one of the publishers for the Olympic Virtual Series. This is a historic day not only for us at Gran Turismo, but seen from the history of motor sport as well. I'm very excited that the numerous Gran Turismo players all around the world will be able to share the Olympic Virtual Series experience.