The new Gran Turismo 7 Online Time Trial goes live on 13 August 2026 and runs for the usual two weeks, ending on 27 August 2026. This round is a one-make, the Toyota MR2 GT-S '97 on Sports Hard tyres around Autodrome Lago Maggiore East End.
Lago Maggiore East End is one of the shorter layouts in the game at just 2.01 km with 8 corners, so this is a proper short-and-sharp Time Trial where every tenth counts and there's nowhere to hide. Pairing it with a nimble little mid-engined Toyota makes for a fun, precise challenge, and the leaderboard times already suggest this one is going to separate the patient drivers from the rest.
Toyota MR2 GT-S at Lago Maggiore East End: What to Expect
The current world-best is sitting at 0:51.968, which is seriously quick around a lap this short. Based on how Polyphony usually sets the cut-offs, I'd expect the gold target to land somewhere in the 0:53.2 to 0:53.4 range.
Here's the thing about this combo: it's a one-make, so there's no car choice to chase. Everyone's in the Toyota MR2 GT-S, which makes the whole Time Trial about driving rather than meta-hunting. The MR2 is a mid-engined lightweight, so it's darty and responsive, but that mid-engined balance means lift-off oversteer is a real thing. On Sports Hards the grip window is narrow, so you'll be managing the rear carefully through every corner.
There are a few things that make this one tricky. The lap is so short that a single mistake wipes out a huge chunk of your time, which puts a premium on consistency over one heroic effort. The MR2's mid-engined balance means it will rotate on a throttle lift, so you need to be smooth and deliberate with your inputs mid-corner rather than snatching at anything. The Sports Hards on a lightweight car give you a narrow grip window, so over-driving simply scrubs speed off the front and rear rather than finding you any. And kerb usage matters more than usual here, because on a tight lap like this the right kerbs are free time, but the wrong ones will unsettle a twitchy car in an instant.
Final Thoughts
The Toyota MR2 GT-S at Lago Maggiore East End looks like a proper grinder, and a fun one. A short, tight lap in a nimble mid-engined lightweight is all about precision and consistency, and being a one-make makes it a pure driving test. The 0:51.968 already on the board is strong, and with a lap this short, the leaderboard is going to be brutally tight by the end of the two weeks.
Let us know what you think about this combination. It looks like it could be a very interesting one.
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