Details are emerging of a ploy to manipulate Gran Turismo World Series Manufacturers Cup race events in order to affect which teams qualify for this year’s live events and World Final.
The issue came to light earlier today through some changes to the GT World Series Manufacturers Cup rankings and subsequent statements on social media. Those who pay close attention will have noticed that Renault tumbled down the order, from being pretty firmly in a qualifying spot after the mid-season results were published last Thursday to being right on the cusp ahead of today’s fifth round.
In total Renault lost 25 points in the EMEA region and 33 in the Americas region, as a result of some top players’ scores for previous rounds being deleted, causing those rounds’ points to be recalculated. Lexus has also lost 8 points in the Americas region compared to the position after four rounds.
While the nature of the offense isn’t wholly clear, it appears to be related to individuals logging into each others’ accounts in order to participate in races under someone else’s ID. The goal would be to affect the high-level races which determine how manufacturers are ranked — by helping team-mates out, hindering rivals, or simply reducing the number of points available through finishing position — in order to enhance the brand’s chance of qualifying for the live events.
These actions are all explicitly prohibited in the GT World Series regulations. In fact the first three rules state that it’s forbidden to use multiple accounts, to use another person’s account, or to “intentionally support another player during a race”.
The four players in question are former GT World Series Manufacturers Cup champion Mateo Estevez, three-time GTWS finals attendee Martin Marza, Toyota Gazoo Racing GT Cup finalist Karl Etyemezian, and a 17-year old Spanish driver who we’re not naming due to them being a minor.
Etyemezian and the youngster have had their results for all four rounds deleted, while Estevez and Marza have had some individual round scores removed but not all. The four also appear to be members of the same esports team, GTSpain92, which has put out a statement denying any knowledge of the collusion and followed that up by ejecting Etyemezian from the team. Update: GTSpain92 has now removed all four players.
Since the issue came to light, Estevez and Marza have issued their own statements on social media apologizing for their roles in the affair. Etyemezian has separately apologised to fellow GTSpain92 racer and current top Renault driver in Asia-Oceania Sota Moriyama — who had no involvement in the matter — after jeopardizing his potential appearance in this year’s live events.
It’s not clear if any further action will be taken against the players by Polyphony Digital, though none of the four can now qualify for the live events in 2025. Renault currently sits in 12th place, and may yet qualify with one round remaining after today’s racing.
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