Lead
Gran Turismo 7’s upcoming Spec III update will add the Polestar brand and immediately place the new Polestar 5 into an online Time Trial event called the Polestar 5 Time Trial Challenge 2025. The challenge is a hot-lap competition using the 870 hp Polestar 5 EV sedan at Brands Hatch Indy Circuit. The fastest eligible competitor overall will win a trip to the 2025 Gran Turismo World Series World Final in Fukuoka on December 20–21. The prize and schedule create a narrow window for Spec III’s release ahead of the World Final.
Key Takeaways
- The event is titled the Polestar 5 Time Trial Challenge 2025 and uses the new Polestar 5, an 870 hp electric sedan.
- The hot-lap runs take place at Brands Hatch Indy Circuit in the Online Time Trial mode of Gran Turismo 7.
- The top eligible finisher will receive a trip to the Gran Turismo World Series World Final in Fukuoka on December 20–21, 2025.
- Spec III adds eight new vehicles; Polestar 5 is one of them and will be active immediately for this event.
- Time Trial events typically run for at least two weeks and begin on Thursdays, implying the update must arrive several weeks before the World Final.
- Polestar has reiterated that Spec III is due in December, narrowing the likely release window to late November or early December.
- Organizing the winner’s travel (visas, flights, logistics) will require additional lead time beyond the in-game event window.
Background
Gran Turismo 7 receives periodic platform updates known as Spec releases that add vehicles, tracks and gameplay adjustments. Spec III is billed to include eight new cars and the recent announcement confirmed the arrival of Polestar as a brand within the title. Polestar’s entry centers on the Polestar 5, a high-performance 870 hp electric sedan, marking a further embrace of EVs in GT esports and sim racing content.
The Gran Turismo World Series culminates each year with a World Final that gathers top players from regional and online events; the 2025 World Final is scheduled for December 20–21 in Fukuoka, Japan. Time Trial events inside GT7 are a long-standing competitive format used to qualify players or spotlight new cars, and prize-linked Time Trials have previously been used to send top performers to live events.
Main Event
Polyphony Digital will host the Polestar 5 Time Trial Challenge in GT7’s Online Time Trial section, asking competitors to post their best hot-lap at the compact Brands Hatch Indy Circuit. The challenge uses the new in-game spec of the Polestar 5, making it the first instance of one of Spec III’s vehicles being available in competitive play upon release.
GTPlanet reports that the reward for the fastest eligible player is a trip to the Gran Turismo World Series World Final in Fukuoka on December 20–21, 2025. That trip typically covers event access and travel arrangements; past prizes have included VIP experiences and companion passes, though specifics for this prize have not been fully disclosed.
Time Trial events in GT7 usually run for a minimum of two weeks and start on a Thursday, occasionally extending for special events. Given those conventions, the Spec III update will need to land early enough to allow the Time Trial to run and for the logistics of arranging a winner’s travel to be completed before the World Final dates.
Analysis & Implications
The Polestar tie-in functions on multiple levels: it showcases a new EV flagship inside one of the world’s most prominent sim-racing ecosystems while simultaneously promoting the Gran Turismo competitive calendar. For Polestar, the placement spotlights the brand to a global, performance-oriented audience; for Polyphony Digital, it adds commercial and competitive momentum to Spec III’s rollout.
Practically, the prize creates a hard constraint on the update schedule. If Time Trial events run the usual two-week span and the World Final is fixed for December 20–21, the update must be released with enough lead time to host the event and arrange international travel—pushing the realistic release window into late November or very early December unless the Time Trial is shorter than normal.
From an esports standpoint, integrating a brand-new, high-power EV into a marquee qualifying event may favor drivers who adapt quickly to electric-vehicle handling and regen/brake balance, potentially reshaping short-term leaderboard dynamics. It also signals that manufacturers and developers see value in time-limited in-game promotions tied to real-world events.
Comparison & Data
| Scenario | Spec III Release Date | Time Trial Window | Logistics Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Late November release | Nov 25–30 | Two weeks into Dec | Low—ample time for travel arrangements |
| Early December release | Dec 1–7 | Two weeks in Dec | Medium—tight scheduling for flights and visas |
| Mid December release | Dec 8–15 | Too late | High—insufficient time before Dec 20–21 |
The table shows feasible and infeasible timing scenarios based on a customary two-week Time Trial. If Polyphony shortens the event, early-December releases could still work, but that would be a departure from the usual cadence and increase administrative burden for sending an eligible winner to Japan.
Reactions & Quotes
Polestar has reiterated that Spec III is expected in December, narrowing the update window ahead of the World Final.
Polestar (official, as reported)
GTPlanet described the Polestar 5 Time Trial as an immediate way to put one of Spec III’s eight cars into competitive use.
GTPlanet (media report)
Some community players cautioned that travel logistics could complicate a December-bound prize if the in-game event window is brief.
Community players (social reaction)
Unconfirmed
- The exact release date of Spec III has not been confirmed beyond Polestar’s December window.
- Details of the prize package (VIP access, plus-one inclusion, accommodations) have not been fully disclosed.
- Precise eligibility rules for the Time Trial winner and any regional restrictions remain unspecified.
- The definitive duration of the Time Trial (two-week standard vs. a shorter special window) has not been announced.
Bottom Line
The Polestar 5 Time Trial Challenge 2025 ties a major in-game release to a high-profile real-world esports prize, creating both promotional momentum and logistical constraints. The 870 hp Polestar 5 will headline the event at Brands Hatch Indy, and the fastest eligible player can win travel to the Fukuoka World Final on December 20–21, 2025.
Because Time Trials typically run for two weeks and Polestar has reiterated a December release window for Spec III, the update will likely need to arrive in late November or very early December to allow the event and travel arrangements to proceed smoothly. Players and observers should watch official channels for precise dates, eligibility rules and prize details.
Sources
- GTPlanet — media report summarizing the Spec III Polestar announcement and Time Trial prize (news outlet)