Mark your calendars, a new season of Gran Turismo 7 is set to begin! The "Gran Turismo World Series 2024" (GTWS 2024) will commence on April 17. For more information on the world's most exciting online race series, check out the championship special page and the 2024 Series Overview page, both of which are now live.

■ Gran Turismo World Series 2024 Overview Page
https://www.gran-turismo.com/world/gt7/championships/gtws2024/

The GTWS 2024 invites participants from around the world to compete in an international championship accessible to all who own Gran Turismo 7. This thrilling event features two distinct championships: the "Nations Cup," where drivers represent their respective countries or territories, and the "Manufacturers Cup,'" where racers compete on behalf of their preferred automobile manufacturer.

The Nations Cup and Manufacturers Cup will be held across six rounds of Online Qualifiers, with the highest ranked players advancing to the World Series. This year, there will be three World Series live events that will culminate with the World Finals, for a total of four rounds. This year, the World Series Points system makes a comeback, allowing drivers to accumulate points at each live event. These points will play a significant role in determining the overall 2024 World Champion. Therefore, achieving a top-place finish at the World Series Rounds will be more vital than ever before.

All live events will be broadcast live, complete with full commentary and analysis of all the action in several languages. With a number of exciting, up-and-coming young drivers pushing for the top spots in all the regions, this season is sure to be among the most exciting and competitive yet.

■ Individual Races and National Pride on the Line in the Nations Cup!

The Nations Cup kicks off on April 17, commencing with six rounds of Online Qualifiers. From these qualifiers, the top 12 drivers from all regions will be chosen to compete in the World Series. In 2024, the competition will return to an individual format, meaning the selected 12 drivers will participate in all three Gran Turismo World Series rounds and the World Finals live events. This new format provides fans with a genuine chance to familiarize themselves with the drivers and follow their journey towards the championship.

This year, the World Series Points system makes a comeback, allowing drivers to accumulate points at each live event. These points will play a significant role in determining the overall 2024 World Champion; therefore, achieving a top-place finish at the World Series rounds will be more vital than ever before.

For the past two years, Spain has dominated the competition. In 2022, veteran Coque López's came away the overall winner, while in 2023, a talented Team Spain grabbed the Nations Cup (a team event that year). But the new format promises to add a different flavor to the competition, and other drivers will be looking to dethrone the Spaniards, keeping them from claiming a third Nations Cup title.

■ Twelve Automotive Manufacturers Face Off in the Manufacturers Cup!

The Manufacturers Cup will commence on May 8, approximately three weeks after the start of the Nations Cup. Like its counterpart, it will feature six rounds of Online Qualifiers. The top 12 teams from the Global Manufacturer Ranking, which includes official manufacturer partners such as Toyota, Genesis, and Mazda, will advance to the World Series rounds live events.

For the World Series Rounds 1 through 3, each manufacturer will be represented by their highest-ranked driver from the Global Manufacturer Ranking in the region where the live event is hosted.

At the World Finals, all three drivers representing each manufacturer will join forces to compete as a cohesive team. It will be fascinating to observe how this revived race format influences the balance of power as the season progresses into its second half.

As demonstrated by Nissan's remarkable comeback last year, where they clinched their first-ever series title in the final moments, the Manufacturers Cup is an unpredictable competition where anything can happen. The question remains: which manufacturer will emerge victorious in 2024?