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Serrano sets the standard at the Gran Turismo Nations Cup World Finals

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The long road that defines every season of the Gran Turismo World Series reached another decisive chapter on Sunday in Fukuoka, Japan, as the World Finals turned their focus to the Nations Cup. Inside a sold-out Marine Messe Fukuoka, the world’s elite Gran Turismo drivers returned to the stage – this time stripped of manufacturer alliances and team strategies, competing instead as individuals carrying the weight of national pride.

Set along the Hakata waterfront, the Fukuoka International Congress Center sits next to the Marine Messe Fukuoka, one of Kyushu’s premier venues more commonly associated with international concerts, exhibitions, and large-scale sporting events. For the World Finals, it became something else entirely: a high-pressure E-sports arena where every decision was magnified, every mistake punished, and every lap met with the roar of an audience fully invested in the outcome.

The Nations Cup represents Gran Turismo competition in its purest form. Qualification is earned through a long, unforgiving global online season, narrowing thousands of hopefuls down to a select few. By the time drivers arrive at the World Finals, there are no teammates to lean on and no shared strategies to dilute responsibility. What remains is raw pace and the ability to perform when the margin for error disappears.

Coming into the event, one name loomed large. Spain’s Jose Serrano arrived in Fukuoka riding a wave of momentum that few could match. Fresh off his role in Team Porsche’s Manufacturers Cup victory the previous day, Serrano had already dominated the Nations Cup season. A 17-point lead put him clear of countryman Pol Urra with 12 points and Italy’s Valerio Gallo with 11, but the numbers told only part of the story. Serrano carried himself like a driver in complete command of his craft.

The 2026 Nations Cup title would be decided across three races: two sprint races to set the stage, followed by a Grand Final with double points on offer.

The opening race transported competitors – virtually – to Belgium’s Circuit de Spa-Fr ancorchamps, where they piloted legendary Le Mans machinery. Serrano wasted no time. Calm, precise, and unflustered, he delivered a controlled drive that secured victory, 12 points, and pole position for the second race.

Race 2 unfolded over 17 laps at Canada’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, and the result felt almost inevitable. Serrano once again asserted himself at the front, claiming his second consecutive win of the day and his fourth victory in five Nations Cup races that season. Another 12 points followed, along with pole position for the Grand Final. By the time the dust settled, his advantage was formidable. Even with double points looming, the equation was clear: finish inside the top six, and the championship would be his.

The Grand Final brought the field to the Nürburgring 24 Hours configuration, a circuit that needs little introduction. Linking the modern Grand Prix track with the fearsome Nordschleife, it remains one of racing’s most demanding tests. From pole position, Serrano delivered what would become the defining performance of his season, showcasing a masterclass in pace, strategy, and restraint. His tire choices were decisive, allowing him to control the race from the front for nearly its entire distance.

Behind him, the spotlight shifted to a fierce contest for second place. Defending and two-time Nations Cup champion Takuma Miyazono of Japan went wheel-to-wheel with Spain’s Pol Urra in a duel that showcased the highest level of sim-racing craft. Both drivers flashed speed and finesse, but when it mattered most, Miyazono’s experience won out. He secured 2nd place in the race and runner-up honors in the championship, with Urra close behind in 3rd, giving Spain two drivers on the overall podium.

Yet there was no mistaking whose day it was. Serrano crossed the line to seal the Nations Cup series title by an unprecedented 20-point margin, completing a World Finals sweep that also included victory in the Manufacturers Cup.

With the 2025 campaign now complete, attention turns to the 2026 championship, which begins March 28 in Abu Dhabi. A new battle will begin, promising fresh drama and unexpected turns, but the question going into the season will be whether anyone can stop El Rayo de Grenada (The Lightning of Granada).