SINGAPORE: For the first time, Singapore hosted the Gran Turismo World Series (GTWS) as Round 3 brought intense sim-racing action to the island state.
The event served as the penultimate leg of the series, paving the way for the 2026 Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix to be held from Oct 9 to 11.
The first GTWS was held in 2018 and consists of two main racing categories, starting with the Manufacturers Cup, where drivers race on behalf of partnered official global automotive manufacturers using the game's virtual Group 3 (Gr.3) race-modified production sports cars.
The second category is the Nations Cup, where drivers represent their respective home countries or territories in global competition using high-performance single-seaters such as the Red Bull X2019 Competition.
Held at the iconic Sands Theatre in Marina Bay Sands, it was 31-year-old Daniel Solis from the US who took first place in the Manufacturer's Cup while piloting a BRZ race car through Autodrome Lago Maggiore - Full Course Reverse (20 laps) for Team Subaru.
Taking second place was 20-year-old professional sim racer Nicolas Arriagada from Santiago, Chile, who raced on behalf of Team Ferrari in a 296 GT3 '23, while third place went to Canadian Samuel Cardinal piloting an RX-Vision GT3 for Team Mazda.
During the post-race interview, Solis said that he had raced Arriagada during practice many times and had always failed to keep him behind, but during the race he managed to somehow keep ahead to take the win.
"I am happy for the win because this is the first time in all my eight years of competing that I managed to do something noteworthy by myself and not on the shoulders of other people, so this is insane to me," explained Solis.
"These people (virtual racers) have been better than they've ever been and we are at the pinnacle of where the game is right now, so it's incredible to be up here as the victor," said an elated Solis, who started his virtual racing career during the inaugural GTWS in 2018.
In the hotly contested Nations Cup, it was 26-year-old multi-time world GTWS champion (2020 and 2024) Takuma Miyazono who prevented an all-Spanish lineup on the podium, just managing to keep his lead by the skin of his teeth - ahead of 24-year-old Jose Serrano and 21-year-old Pol Urra, who finished in second and third, respectively.
After crossing the finish line, race officials found it necessary to investigate a collision between Miyazono and Serrano at the final corner before the finish line of the Circuit de Sainte-Croix - B Reverse (24 laps).
A faster Serrano on Soft Compound tyres managed to find the slower Miyazono on Hard Compound tyres exiting the 90-degree left-hand turn.
While Serrano tried to avoid him by going wide, the two came into contact, sending Serrano into the wall as Miyazono slid ahead to cross the line first.
The collision was later deemed a racing incident, allowing Miyazono to keep his position to take the win.
"From the opening round, I was busy with real racing, but I didn't want to make that my excuse, and as a result, I saw what I still needed to work on, so I'm still going to keep trying harder for the World Title", said Miyazono.
"My efforts aside, a lot of people were rooting for me, and this is part of my strength - they helped me train, and it is really through them that I was able to come here," he added.
This year's GTWS began in Milan, Italy, for Round 1 (May 23) before moving on to Tokyo, Japan, for Round 2 (Aug 15).
Dunlop, owned by Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI), is the official tyre partner and exclusive tyre supplier for Gran Turismo 7 (GT7) and GTWS since Round 2 (Berlin) of the 2025 season.
For GT7 enthusiasts, Dunlop brings with it its rich motorsport heritage that spans more than a century into the digital environment where players can explore their passion for cars, develop their racecraft and compete with others around the world.
In 1889, businessman Harvey du Cros and John Boyd Dunlop - the inventor of the practical pneumatic (air-filled) tyre in Belfast, Ireland - brought about the Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Company.
Today, Dunlop has managed to extend its presence into the game through the Spec III update, which introduced the Dunlop tyre designs in the Tuning Show and on selected cars, alongside a dedicated Dunlop channel and museum section within the game's Brand Central.
With Toyotsu Binter Automotive Parts Pte Ltd (a Singapore-based joint venture between Toyota Tsusho Asia Pacific and Binter & Co) being the sole distributor of the brand in Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei, it looks to use GTWS as a setting for established automotive enthusiasts and younger racing fans to share their passion.
"For many young enthusiasts, their passion for cars begins with a game like Gran Turismo, and having the World Series here in Singapore for the first time gives us a chance to share that excitement with our dealers, customers and guests," said Toyotsu Binter Automotive Parts managing director Marcus Lim.
"Through Dunlop, we want to connect that passion with a deeper appreciation of tyres, performance and the engineering behind the driving experience," he said.
With the conclusion of Round 3 in Singapore on Sunday, all eyes will now look to Tokyo for the World Finals that will be held from Dec 5 to 6 to see who picks up the highly coveted physical recreation of Umberto Boccioni’s Futurist sculpture "Unique Forms of Continuity in Space," awarded at the FIA-certified Gran Turismo Championships.
