Polyphony Digital CEO and Gran Turismo Producer Kazunori Yamauchi is also a proficient racing driver, and this week, he’ll take part in a very special race.
The beloved racing game developer announced on X (formerly Twitter) that he’ll take part in the legendary Mille Miglia race, which will be hosted between June 9 and June 13 in Italy.
The race used to be a demanding endurance event between 1927 and 1957. It was then turned into a regularity race for vintage cars, and it’s considered an extremely prestigious and legendary event among car enthusiasts.
Yamauchi-san will take part in the Gran Turismo Driving Experience, which is a side event running alongside the main race, designed for modern cars. According to the developer, this is the first time a Japanese car has participated.
He will drive a 1980 Toyota Supra in an all-Japanese team with a Lexus LFA and a Toyota 2000GT.
Here’s the full translation of the original Tweet, posted in Italian and Japanese.
“This year I’m participating in the Mille Miglia. Starting tomorrow, I’ll be driving a Toyota Supra (80) in the Gran Turismo Driving Experience. This is the first time a Japanese car has participated in the Mille Miglia, which is celebrating its 99th anniversary this year. It’s a historic moment.
In addition to the Supra, an LFA and a 2000GT will also be competing within the same team. I look forward to meeting you along the Mille Miglia route.”
Yamauchin-san also posted a number of pictures of his and his team’s cars. You can enjoy them below.
This is certainly not the first time that Yamauchi-san has taken part in a legendary race. He has competed multiple times at the Nürburgring 24 Hours and more.
Of course, his main call to fame remains the Gran Turismo series. The latest game of the franchise, Gran Turismo 7, will receive an update with five new cars this week.
Gran Turismo 7 is currently available for PS5 and PS4. Polyphony Digital has been updating it regularly since its launch in March 2022.
If you’re interested, you can check out the content of the previous update, which came with the 1993 Porsche 911 Turbo S Leichtbau (964), the 2024 Yangwang U9, and the 1993 Renault Twingo.
