Gran Turismo World Series Nations Cup: Spain’s Serrano claims second 2025 victory

Jose Serrano has won his second 2025 Gran Turismo World Series Nations Cup round in a row.

The 2023 champion – it was a multi-drive format that season as a one-off – navigated a wet Red Bull Ring, which dried up, but then saw rain return in a topsy-turvy event with several different strategic approaches.

For the second time in the same day, Kylian Drumont replicated his Manufacturers Cup pole position, and fellow French competitor Thomas Labouteley lined up in second. However, in the early, damp, stages, it was the Spanish drivers of Pol Urra and compatriot Serrano who made the initial moves.

With everyone selecting the intermediate tyres for the customary Red Bull X2019 Competition car, 

Both Spaniards passed the Italian Valerio Gallo early on before the first drivers stopped to switch to slick tyres on a dry track.

The first to do so was Labouteley, but Serrano followed one lap later, ahead of most of the field, who waited until the seventh lap.

When all had stopped, the French driver led, but the Spanish had leapfrogged into second thanks to the undercut.

However, that’s not where the eventual winner would stay, making a small mistake and dropping behind the leader. This allowed Drumont to pass for second and Kaj de Bruin to follow through.

Once again, however, Serrano would play the correct pitstop card, not by pitting early this time, but by waiting three laps longer than Drumont, Labouteley and de Bruin to switch back to intermediates as rain returned.

This move meant the French and lone Dutch drivers retook the top three positions, but on significantly older tyres than Spain’s leading driver.

Serrano caught up, and went around the outside of Labouteley for third, then Drumont for second at the final corner one lap later, before at the penultimate corner with six laps left, taking the lead from de Bruin.

From there, he nursed his tyres home to win comfortably

Inorgural World Series podium

Once Serrano took the lead, Drumont, Labouteley and de Bruin continued to fall on worn rubber, so all elected to pit once more.

However, only the Dutch driver selected new intermediates, despite the back half of the field setting competitive times, having switched to slicks.

It proved to be an inspired move, however, as he had enough of a gap to the soft-runners, and fresher tyres than those ahead who were trying to extend their final stint.

He passed Australia’s Guy Barbara for fourth with two laps remaining, then Japan’s Takuma Sasaki for the final podium spot on the penultimate tour to mark his first World Series top-three finish.
Elsewhere, Round 1 Manufacturers Cup winner Takuma Miyazono finished first of the dry-tyre runners in fourth.