GTWS 2025 Manufacturers Cup: Porsche, Toyota, and Mazda shine in Atlanta

The stars came out in Los Angeles – not for a movie premiere, but for the third round of the 2025 Gran Turismo World Series (GTWS). Beneath the chandeliers of the historic Orpheum Theatre, the world’s best virtual racers took center stage, transforming one of Hollywood’s grandest Art Deco landmarks into the epicenter of digital motorsport drama.

The atmosphere was electric. Built in 1926, the Orpheum has hosted icons from Judy Garland to Ella Fitzgerald, but on this November evening, the spotlight fell squarely on twelve elite teams representing the world’s top automakers. The stage was set for the Manufacturers Cup – a high-stakes chess match on wheels where precision, patience, and tire strategy separate the great from the merely fast.

With the World Finals in Japan just weeks away, every lap mattered. Subaru entered Round 3 as the team to beat – two wins from two starts, a perfect record under driver Daniel Solis of the U.S. Close behind was BMW, led by veteran Randall Haywood, a consistent podium threat still chasing that elusive first victory of the season.

But as every GTWS fan knows, the script rarely unfolds as expected.

Qualifying delivered its first shock. In a stunning performance, French driver Noah Lanuza – new to the series – snatched pole for Team Mercedes-AMG in the mighty GT3. American Donovan Parker put Ferrari on the front row, while the Chilean veteran Angel Inostroza lined up third in the Porsche 911 RSR. Behind them were Brazil’s Adriano Carrazza in the Toyota GR Supra and Canada’s Samuel Cardinal in the elegant Mazda RX-Vision GT3. The favorites were suddenly playing catch-up.

The Grand Final was set at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, a roller coaster of a circuit known for its sweeping corners and punishing elevation changes. Through 30 laps, drivers would be required to use both soft- and medium-compound Dunlops – a rule that turned the race into a masterclass in timing and restraint.

Right from the green flag, chaos loomed. Subaru’s Solis slid wide through a pair of early corners, tumbling to the rear. BMW’s Haywood struggled to find pace, eventually finishing outside the points in eighth. The door was wide open for an upset. Ferrari seized the early lead with Parker at the helm, but their aggressive two-stop plan would prove costly. When the Italian marque pitted for the second time, the door swung open for the one-stop strategists – Porsche, Toyota, and Mazda – to make their move.

Lap after lap, the three ran on the edge of adhesion, nursing tires that had long since given up their best grip. The gamble paid off. Inostroza held firm to deliver Porsche a stunning victory, fending off relentless pressure from Carrazza’s Toyota and Cardinal’s Mazda. All three drivers displayed a rare blend of pace and composure, managing their tires to perfection while still trading tenths of a second across the closing laps.

Subaru’s early dominance kept them atop the standings with 12 points, but the chase pack is closing fast. Mazda’s third-place finish lifted the Japanese marque into a tie for second-place with BMW at 10 points apiece, while Porsche’s breakthrough win vaulted them to fourth with nine.

As the teams pack up and prepare for the World Finals in Fukuoka, Japan, one thing is certain _ the 2025 Manufacturers Cup is still anyone’s to claim. With double points on the line, strategy will matter more than ever, and the bravest will rise to the top because in the Gran Turismo World Series, it’s not just about who’s fastest, it’s about who dares to take the gamble that wins it all.