The Gran Turismo World Series (GTWS) 2026 Nations Cup in Singapore delivered one of the most intense, strategically fraught finishes in championship history. Under the bright lights of the Sands Theatre at Marina Bay Sands, Japan’s Takuma Miyazono secured a hard-fought victory after a chaotic, controversial final-lap battle that was ultimately cleared by race stewards.
Piloting identical Red Bull X2019 Competition race cars around the technical, unforgiving Circuit de Sainte-Croix Layout B Reverse, the 12-driver field pushed aero limits and tire strategies to the edge in this crucial final live event before December’s World Finals in Tokyo.
GTWS 2026 Round 3 Singapore: Nations Cup Podium
| Finish | Driver | Country | Car |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Place | Takuma Miyazono | Japan | Gran Turismo Red Bull X2019 Competition |
| 2nd Place | Jose Serrano | Spain | Gran Turismo Red Bull X2019 Competition |
| 3rd Place | Pol Urra | Spain | Gran Turismo Red Bull X2019 Competition |
Tactical Brilliance: How Miyazono Out-Foxed the Field
With every competitor strapped into the equalized spec Red Bull X2019 platform, track position and compound strategy dictated the rhythm of the Grand Final. While Spanish aces Jose Serrano and Pol Urra showed blistering single-lap pace, Miyazono leaned on his trademark racecraft and fuel/tire management.
Running an aggressive tire rotation strategy, Miyazono stayed within striking distance through Sainte-Croix’s high-speed bridge transitions without blistering his rubber in dirty air. By conserving just enough rear tire grip across the long sweepers, he set himself up for a decisive final-stint charge.
Final-Lap Drama & Stewards’ Decision
The closing lap erupted into wheel-to-wheel warfare as Miyazono attacked for the lead against Serrano. With aero wash making the cars twitchy through the high-G direction changes, the frontrunners went side-by-side into the braking zones.
A contentious moment of contact on the final lap drew gasps from the live audience in Singapore and lit up the broadcast commentary booth. Miyazono wrested the advantage, cleanly navigated the final turn, and crossed the finish line to take the checkered flag.
Following post-race deliberation, the stewards deemed the incident hard, fair racing, upholding Miyazono’s win and locking in an emotional victory that propels him to the top of the narrative heading into Tokyo.
Sim Rig Takeaway: Mastering the Red Bull X2019
The intense racing at Sainte-Croix B Reverse highlighted key lessons for anyone running high-downforce machinery on their home rig:
- Aero Snap & FFB Linearity: In cars like the X2019, aerodynamic downforce drops dramatically under low-speed braking, leaving you vulnerable to sudden snap oversteer. Dialing back artificial damping lets your direct-drive base transmit tire scrub immediately. For a tuned, responsive baseline, see our Fanatec GT DD Pro 8Nm Gran Turismo Settings Guide.
- Trail-Braking Discipline: The difference between Serrano and Miyazono’s tire longevity came down to braking smoothly in a straight line before bleeding off into the turn-in phase, avoiding the ABS scrub that cooks front tires.
The 2026 Gran Turismo World Series now heads home to Japan for the season-ending World Finals in Tokyo this December. Stay tuned to ApexRigged for ongoing setup guides and championship coverage.