We are pleased to announce that the new championship for Gran Turismo 7, the 'Gran Turismo World Series 2022' (GTWS 2022), will begin on 27 May.

GTWS 2022 is an international championship open to anyone who has a copy of Gran Turismo 7. The Series encompasses two championships, the 'GTWS Nations Cup' in which drivers compete as a representative of their country (or territory), and the 'GTWS Manufacturers Cup', in which drivers race under contract of their favourite manufacturer.

Season 1 of the Online Series will begin on 27 May for the Manufacturers Cup and 28 May for the Nations Cup. Both respective championships will run from May to July for six races. Season 2 will run from August to October for eight races, for a total of 14 Rounds of racing.

GTWS 2022 will also include three ‘World Series’ Rounds that will pit top-ranking drivers from the online races against each other, a midseason ‘World Series Showdown’ event, and the World Finals where this year’s champions will be decided.

All three Worlds Series Rounds, as well as the long-awaited World Series Showdown and the World Finals live events, will be broadcast on our official channels. Viewers will be able to watch the fastest drivers from around the world go head-to-head from the comfort of their own homes.

The World Series Showdown in July marks the midway point of the Series and is sure to be a spectacular affair as the top-ranking drivers from Season 1 go up against the cream of the 2021 Championship at the Red Bull Hangar-7 in Salzburg, Austria. Be sure not to miss the return of these long-awaited live events.

■ Nations Cup 2021 Champion Confident Ahead of Title Defence

Italy's Valerio Gallo, who won last year’s Nations Cup championship at the World Finals gave his thoughts on the upcoming GTWS 2022 campaign:

“I worked so hard to improve last year in terms of driving and mental and physical strength. Now that I have the belief in myself I can’t wait to get going again and try to defend my title.”

The defending champion is sure to be one to look out for again this year.

■ The most competitive Manufacturers Cup yet as Genesis joins the line-up

Team Toyota dominated the 2021 World Finals to take a second Series title and with their power and speed should be one of the top contenders again. However, a new challenger might just upset the balance in 2022 as luxury car manufacturer Genesis joins the Gran Turismo World Series as an Official Partner. The partnership automatically guarantees Team Genesis a spot in the Manufacturers Cup flagship events which means there could be a new powerhouse to watch out for this year.

New Official Partners in Genesis and Brembo, and a New League Format for GTWS 2022

In addition to Genesis adding to the support and expertise provided by long time partners Michelin, Toyota, Mazda, Alpha and BBS, the Italian brake company Brembo also joins the roster of brand partners for the GTWS 2022.

A new League format has also been adopted for online races this year to provide a platform that offers a wide variety of levels for players to enjoy. Players will be grouped into either the GT1 League, GT2 League, or GT3 League based on their Driver Rating. Players can expect to experience closer and tenser races than ever as they come up against players of a similar skill level.

2022 marks the fifth year of the official competitive Gran Turismo Championships and we hope you will enjoy the new GTWS 2022!

For further information regarding the GTWS 2022, please see the Gran Turismo World Series 2022 Championship Overview page.