Jose Serrano dominated, winning from pole position, in the World Final of the 2024 Toyota Gazoo Racing GT Cup.
This was despite changeable conditions that left many drivers on slick tyres during a rain shower during the deciding Gran Turismo 7 race.
In front of a rowdy Amsterdam live audience, 12 drivers had made it through to the World Final of the Japanese car manufacturer’s premier sim racing competition.
Semi-finals
Serrano made it through a frantic semi-final stage to place his Toyota GR010 Hybrid Hypercar on pole position for the eight-lap winner-takes-all finale around Circuit de la Sarthe.
Qualifying third for the first semi-final group, the Spaniard dived down the inside of Andika Rama Maulana to take the lead at Interlagos. Meanwhile, compatriot Coque López followed through into second three corners later.
In the second semi-final, reigning Toyota Gazoo Racing GT Cup champion Pol Urra fought back after opening-lap contact to take the lead with four laps remaining, while fellow Spanish driver Alex López Murillo took third.
Final
As the final began, Serrano led Urra and López. Antonio Santos sat in fourth, with Ryota Kokubun in fifth and López Murillo sixth.
But, not for long, as the 22-year-old slipstreamed up to fourth upon the field heading down Mulsanne for the first time.
Urra had banked on using the hard tyre for the opening stint, while others around him plumped for the quicker, more wear-prone, mediums. He dropped to third behind López, but once the stops had played out, he was back up into second and close to Serrano.
However, with two laps remaining, the gathering clouds decided to empty their contents. With the Le Mans-based venue being such a long lap, with a lengthy pitlane, most drivers decided to brave it out on slicks.
Urra made the first mistake, running off at the lap-opening chicane, losing time to the leader. The same error was made by López Murillo on the final lap, ruining the Spain one-to-four standings, and dropping behind Japan’s Takuma Sasaki.
Elsewhere, both Santos and Kokubun would spin away their chances at Terte Rougein the damp conditions.
At the head of the field, however, no one could touch Serrano, who claimed his first Toyota crown and second Gran Turismo World Series title.
TOYOTA GAZOO RACING GT CUP 2024 World Final Results
- José Serrano – 12 laps
- Pol Urra +2.3103
- Coque López +8.0134
- Takuma Sasaki +11.5325
- Alex López Murillo +18.1956
- Adriano Carrazza +18.6317
- Guy Barbara +22.148
- Andika Rama +22.6169
- Ryota Kokubun +23.49810
- Antonio Santos +27.19811
- Marco Busnelli +45.84012
- Joshua Struik +51.192
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