Jose Serrano has claimed back-to-back wins in the 2025 Gran Turismo World Series Nations Cup, mastering a chaotic wet-to-dry-to-wet race at the Red Bull Ring in Berlin. The 2023 champion showed expert racecraft and strategic awareness in a dramatic event that saw changing weather conditions split the field across multiple strategies.
Spain Rises Early in Tricky Conditions
Just like in the Manufacturers Cup earlier in the day, France’s Kylian Drumont started from pole position, followed by compatriot Thomas Labouteley in second. But as the field began the race on intermediate tires in damp conditions, it was Spain’s Pol Urra and Jose Serrano who quickly moved into contention.
Both passed Italy’s Valerio Gallo early on, setting the tone for a strong Spanish showing. The track began to dry, prompting early stops for slick tires. Labouteley was the first to gamble, followed by Serrano one lap later, a move that would prove critical.
By the time most of the grid pitted on lap seven, Serrano’s earlier stop allowed him to jump into second place behind Labouteley.
Setback, Recovery, and the Winning Call
Serrano’s momentum briefly stalled when a small mistake saw him drop behind both Drumont and Dutch driver Kaj de Bruin. But with the skies darkening once again, the race was far from over.
When the rain returned, strategy became the key to victory. While Drumont, Labouteley, and de Bruin all pitted early for intermediates, Serrano stayed out longer, preserving tire life for the closing stages.
This decision flipped the race back in his favor. Now on fresher rubber, Serrano hunted down the leaders. He passed Labouteley for third around the outside, then overtook Drumont for second at the final corner, before executing a clean move on de Bruin at the penultimate turn with six laps remaining.
From there, he managed his tires to the finish and cruised to a dominant win.
A Podium First for de Bruin
Behind Serrano, tire degradation caught up with the early stoppers. Drumont, Labouteley, and de Bruin all pitted again, but only the Dutch driver opted for fresh intermediates. Most others gambled on slicks, despite the still-slick conditions.
The call worked. De Bruin, with enough of a gap to those behind and better grip than those ahead, passed Australia’s Guy Barbara for fourth and then Japan’s Takuma Sasaki for third on the penultimate lap, earning his first-ever World Series podium.
Meanwhile, Takuma Miyazono, winner of Round 1 in the Manufacturers Cup, was the top finisher among the slick-tire runners, coming home in fourth.
Final Thoughts
With two wins from two rounds, Jose Serrano is shaping up as the driver to beat in the 2025 Nations Cup. His ability to adapt to rapidly changing conditions and make decisive strategy calls continues to set him apart in this season's competitive field.
