PRAGUE, Czech Republic — On August 10, the Gran Turismo World Series 2024 moved to Prague, Czech Republic for the second live event of the season, held at the iconic Divadlo Hybernia, situated in the heart of the picturesque and historic city. Following a thrilling finish to the Manufacturers Cup race earlier that day, all eyes turned to the Nations Cup, where the top 12 drivers in the world fiercely represented their home countries and territories. This season marks the return of the series to an individual format, where the elite drivers, selected from the Online Qualifiers, battle it out across three World Series live events—Montreal, Prague, and Tokyo—culminating in the World Finals in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Just like in previous round, the Prague event did not disappoint, delivering what could be the most closely contested Grand Final race ever!

Sprint Race: Eiger Nordwand

Although no points were at stake here, its significance was undeniable as it determined the starting grid for the Grand Final, the centerpiece of Round 2 of the Nations Cup. The venue for the Sprint Race was the Eiger Nordwand circuit, crafted by Gran Turismo, with the drivers piloting the legendary 1965 Honda RA272 Formula 1 car, bathed in their respective country’s liveries. All eyes were on Japan’s Takuma Miyazono (Kerokkuma_ej20), who had recently seized an early season points lead with an impressive victory in Montreal. However, the battle was far from over, with former Nations Cup champion Valerio Gallo (OP_BRacer) of Italy, along with Spain’s formidable duo of Coque López (coquelopez14) and Jose Serrano (TDG_JOSETE) eager to exact their revenge.

In somewhat foggy conditions, the legendary open-wheel machines were unleashed on the scenic road course situated at an altitude of nearly 6,500 feet. Only in Gran Turismo could such a spectacle unfold, where iconic Japanese Formula 1 cars battle on a course nestled in the Swiss Alps. From pole position, Miyazono expertly guided the pack through the opening corners, fending off Gallo, who had started in P2. It quickly became clear that the 232-horsepower open-wheelers were a handful on the narrow, winding circuit, with several drivers brushing the guardrails as they navigated Turn 7.

Calen Roach (CalenJRoach) of the USA made an impressive early surge, swiftly climbing to P3 while the rest of the field was still settling into their rhythm. However, with the race set for just seven laps, there was no time for hesitation. Japanese driver Takuma Sasaki (SZ_TakuAn22), who had initially started in P4, soon reclaimed that position as the race progressed. By the halfway mark, Miyazono and Gallo began to distance themselves from the pack, skillfully maneuvering the nimble, lightweight race cars around the challenging 11-corner circuit. In a surprising twist, pre-season favorites López and France’s Kylian Drumont (R8G_Kylian19) found themselves at the very back, languishing in P11 and P12, respectively.

With overtaking proving to be a challenge on this track with these cars, the running order remained largely unchanged for the remainder of the race. In a dramatic climax, Gallo launched a final, all-out attempt to overtake Miyazono through the last corners of the final lap. But Miyazono, barely holding control of his car as it fishtailed across the finish line, managed to hang on, securing a hard-fought victory.

Grand Final: Dragon Tail

On a sun-drenched afternoon at the Dragon Trail – Seaside race track, the stage was set for what would become one of the most thrilling Grand Final races in the history of the series. The 32-lap contest would not only pit Speed vs. Speed, but also the strategic minds behind the wheel. With three tire choices available—hard, medium, and soft—the drivers were required to use at least two different compounds during the race, turning pitstops into a game of chess. The 12 drivers, each strapped into identical Red Bull X2019 Competition race cars, prepared to do battle on the fast, tricky Gran Turismo original circuit set on the picturesque coast of Serbia.

The front row of the grid featured championship favorite Takuma Miyazono (Kerokkuma_ej20) of Japan, who had clinched pole position with a skillful drive in the Sprint Race. Lined up beside him was the always-fast Valerio Gallo (OP_Bracer) of Italy. Starting from P3 was Japan’s Takuma Sasaki (SZ_TakuAn22), who looked poised to score his first win in the series. But the real surprises were further down the grid. Two-time Nations Cup champion Coque López (coqueLópez14) of Spain found himself in an unfamiliar position—12th—while preseason favorite France’s Kylian Drumont (R8G_Kylian19) was mired in P10.

As the lights went green, all the cars got away cleanly on the rolling start, charging into the first corner with precision. The entire field started on medium tires, with one notable exception: López, sitting in last place, who opted for softs, knowing he needed to make bold moves to climb up the order. His gamble paid off almost immediately because by the end of the first lap, he had moved up four positions to 8th, setting the tone for an aggressive race.

The early laps were a blur of action. On lap 2, Guy Barbara (OP_Twitchy) of Australia swerved and tapped López, sending himself into a spin and dropping to last place. Not long after, American driver Robert Heck (OP_RobbyHeck) also spun out after a tap from Brazil’s Adriano Carrazza (Didico__15), serving as a precursor of what was to come. Meanwhile, Kaj de Bruin (R8G_Kajracer) of the Netherlands, who had started in P6, was making a charge of his own. By lap 5, he had wrestled the lead from Miyazono, who was struggling to maintain his early pace. Meanwhile, López was continuing his meteoric rise, passing Miyazono to move into P3 and then P2 by lap 6. His strategy of starting on softs appeared to be paying off.

On lap 8, with his tires beginning to wear, López made a daring move to take the lead—an astonishing feat, considering he had started dead last. But his advantage was short-lived. By lap 9, the soft-compound tires had worn thin, forcing López to pit and switch to mediums. As he rejoined the race, the battle at the front intensified. Positions 4 through 8 were separated by mere seconds, with seven drivers all within striking distance of the lead. The names of Miyazono, de Bruin, Sasaki, Angel Inostroza (Veloce_Loyrot) of Chile, Carrazza, Gallo, and Drumont shuffled constantly on the leaderboard as they traded blows at over 300 km/h.

Lap 11 saw Inostroza pit for soft Michelins, followed by de Bruin and Carrazza on lap 12, as the strategic chess game unfolded. The leaders, including Miyazono, Gallo, Calen Roach (CalenJRoach) of the USA, and Drumont, all pitted on lap 14, all of them switching to softs for the final stint. Sasaki, however, gambled on squeezing more laps out of his mediums, opting for a one-stop strategy. It would prove to be a costly decision, as his lap times dropped off, and the pack quickly reeled him in.

By lap 15, the race took another dramatic turn. Inostroza, running in 3rd and pushing hard to pass López, attempted an outside move after Turn 6 but misjudged it, bumping López and spinning off the track. The Chilean dropped to last place, his hopes dashed in an instant. Meanwhile, López, aware that his medium tires couldn’t match the pace of those on softs, began to strategically surrender positions, allowing de Bruin and Carrazza to pass, biding his time for a late-race charge.

Sasaki’s one-stop strategy finally ended on lap 21 when he pitted for softs, as did de Bruin, who opted for mediums, betting that the softs would degrade before the race’s end. Serrano, who had stealthily moved up to P2 after starting 8th, was now challenging Miyazono for the lead, with Gallo close behind in 3rd. On lap 23, a flurry of pitstops ensued as Miyazono, Gallo, Serrano, and Drumont all dove in for their final set of softs, setting up a nine-lap sprint to the finish.

The closing laps were a showcase of top-tier racing. The front six drivers engaged in a fierce battle, going three- and four-wide through some sections, drafting each other at speeds more than 320 km/h, and swapping positions at nearly every corner. By lap 27, López had clawed his way back into contention, joining the fray at the front. Drumont had surged into P2, with race leader Serrano in his sights, but soon chaos would unfold.

With just five laps remaining, the race turned into a high-speed brawl. Drumont made a bold pass for the lead, but in doing so, he made Serrano twitch, causing the latter to spin and drop to last place. Meanwhile, Miyazono and Sasaki, in a desperate attempt to claw back positions, collided with each other ending the chance of a Japanese driver winning this race. Gallo and López seized the opportunity, moving into 2nd and 3rd, respectively, as the contest became a three-car shootout.

On lap 30, Gallo made his move. Approaching Turn 12, he executed a flawless pass on Drumont to take the lead. Once in front, he never looked back, holding on to cross the finish line first. Drumont followed in 2nd after colliding with López at the finish line, the latter claiming 3rd place traveling sideways. It was a remarkable drive for the veteran Spanish driver, who went from last on the grid to claim the final spot on the podium.

With the win, Gallo remained in 2nd place in the series championship. López’s 3rd-place finish catapulted him to the top of the leaderboard with eight total points. Although Miyazono failed to score in this race, his win in Round 1 kept him in the top three.

Gallo said after the race, “This race was so stressful! I was fighting with everything on the track. I was feeling a bit slow at the beginning, but I was trying to save the tires. And with the slipstreams, you had to be so careful on the overtakes. I really don’t know how I made it to the finish with all the episodes on the track. I don’t know what to say.”

The Grand Final at Dragon Trail was nothing short of spectacular. With relentless battles, strategic masterstrokes, and heart-stopping moments, it will go down as one of the most closely contested races in the series history. As the dust settles and the teams prepare for the next round in Tokyo this September, one thing is certain: the excitement is far from over.

Gran Turismo World Series 2024 Round 2 - Nations Cup
Grand Final Results