Gran Turismo 7 Fanatec time trial offers hardware prizes across three regions

Fanatec and Polyphony Digital have partnered on a new global Gran Turismo 7 time trial that swaps in-game credits for real-world hardware prizes. According to GTPlanet, the Fanatec Gran Turismo Eifel Cup 2026 opens on Monday, November 2 and runs for two weeks, with separate prize winners in Europe / Middle East / Africa, the Americas and Asia-Oceania.

The event asks players to post the fastest lap possible in the Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) ’22 at the Nürburgring GP circuit. That pairing gives the competition its Eifel name, with the venue sitting in the heart of Germany’s Eifel mountains. It also keeps the focus on driving performance rather than setup work: GTPlanet reports that tires are fixed to Racing Hard and car settings are specified.

How the Eifel Cup works in GT7

The time trial will appear in the Online Time Trials menu inside the Sport pavilion on the GT7 World Map, alongside the game’s regular two-week time trials. Ranking registration opens at 12:00 GMT on Monday, November 2 and closes at 11:59 GMT on Monday, November 16.

Anyone can set a lap time, but prize eligibility is limited. GTPlanet says players must be 18 or older on November 2 and live in one of the eligible countries in their region. The three regions are:

• Europe / Middle East / Africa: including countries such as the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, South Africa, Turkey and the UAE
• Americas: including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and the United States
• Asia-Oceania: including Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and Taiwan

There is one unusual wrinkle. GTPlanet notes that players from Japan can enter and appear in the rankings, but they are not eligible to win because of legal reasons. If a Japanese player tops the Asia-Oceania region, the prize passes to the next-fastest eligible entrant in that region.

The prizes on offer

The top-ranked player in each region gets to choose between two Fanatec prizes, subject to eligibility verification. The first is the Gran Turismo DD Pro (8Nm), the officially licensed PlayStation direct-drive wheel many GT7 players will already know. Fanatec’s announcement describes it as a steering wheel, and GTPlanet says that suggests the full $849.95 bundle with the GT rim and pedals, although the exact configuration is not specified. The 8Nm wheel base alone sells for $599.95.

The alternative is the Podium Pedals Sport, Fanatec’s two-pedal, no-clutch version of its new flagship pedal platform. GTPlanet says it launched a couple of weeks ago and carries a price of $599.99. On paper, either prize lands well above the value of the hardware many time trial events usually reward, and both are tied directly to Fanatec’s current sim-racing range.

In a note for readers who would rather not chase the top spot, GTPlanet also pointed to its own Fanatec discount code, GTPLANET5, which takes 5% off wheels, pedals and Gran Turismo bundles at the Fanatec store, including the prizes on offer here. The code does not stack with items already on sale.

GT7’s latest online challenge

The Eifel Cup follows a steady run of online Gran Turismo 7 events, including recent time trials and weekly challenges covered on Sports Games Plus, such as the return of the game’s online time trial at Barcelona. This latest contest differs from the usual format by attaching hardware rewards to the regional leaderboard, rather than in-game payouts.

For now, the route to a prize is straightforward: set a lap between November 2 and November 16, place highest in your eligible region, and choose between the GT DD Pro and the Podium Pedals Sport if you finish first.