Merry Christmas from Gran Turismo - Celebrating 20 years in 2024

Published 2023-12-24 by Peter Ternström

Dear Driver

Thank you for a great 2023 season. We are currently taking a short break from driving supercars with you and preparing for the next season. The next season marks an anniversary for us, we have now been organising events for over 20 years.

Before I continue, I would like point out that I never wanted to become an event organiser. This was not a conscious career choice. It just happened. I wanted to become an architect. Fascinated by airports and aviation in general, this was my true calling. Fate would steer my life in a very different direction.

Back in 2004 we organised a track event for Ferrari owners in Sweden. A year later, the Ferrari owners demanded a new edition. This is how it all started. I was 28 years old and the Ferrari F355 was considered a modern car.

Fast forward to today, we have organised 145 events on racing tracks and the most beautiful roads in the world. At the end of the 2024 season, this number will be 156. This is a considerable number of supercar events organised by my team the last two decades. A team that has stayed with us for the entire time.

Justyna, Michal, Björn, Marcin, Chiara, James and the rest have been with us for almost 20 years. I would like to express my gratitude to the team, for their loyalty and exceptional work. The team currently in place is an event organising machine, polished to perfection. Thank you Pietro, Zdravko, Nicolas, Marco and Sarah.

I would also like to extend a special thanks to Olav Medhus, who has been instrumental in bringing the Gran Turismo experience to the nordic countries.

Most importantly, thank you, the Driver. Thank you for all the spectacular experiences we shared the last two decades. It has been an absolute pleasure to organise driving events for you.

There have been many unbelievable moments on the Nurburgring, at the Riviera or in the Swiss Alps. None of this would have been possible without you. Thank you for joining us each year.

Our first events were in Sweden. The next one was in Poland. Gran Turismo Polonia in 2005 really kicked things off, creating a tradition that still exists.

Over the years, more than 3,000 supercar owners have been to Poland for the now classic Polish event. The 2024 edition starts in Gdansk and visits two coastal towns on the Baltic Sea before heading south to Poznan for the race track that we all love.

For the 2024 season, we have nine events planned. We start in St. Moritz in February for our Bobsleigh challenge together with the Swiss Olympic Bobsleigh team. If you haven’t tried bobsledding, you have not experienced true speed. It is a brutal feeling to pilot a one man bobsleigh down the icy halfpipe between St Moritz and Celerina.

In May, we start with the first supercar road trip. Gran Turismo Adriatica. Starting in Split in Croatia, it will take us along the coast to Montenegro and back. It has some of the best roads in the world, and the scenery is just incredible. Approaching the Bay of Kotor from the mountains is pure magic. It is also fully booked.

Later, we have the Nurburgring. A classic event that marches in to the 12th edition in 2024. 128 supercars only. It has been fully booked since August.

Gran Turismo Riviera comes next. A hyper-exclusive event from Forte dei Marmi, Portofino, Monaco and Saint-Tropez, capped at just 12 participating cars due to new policies at Hotel de Paris in Monaco governing supercar events in the principality. This event is also fully booked.

At the end of June we have Gran Turismo Polonia. Our flagship event attracts hundreds of drivers each year. The event starts with a road trip at the Baltic coast before heading to Poznan and the amazing race track Tor Poznan. This is a very popular event and where it all started in 2005. I love returning to Poland each summer.

We have a new event at the end of August. A four-day tour of the north-eastern part of Italy called Gran Turismo Dolomiti. Start near Venice, before heading to Cortina, Bolzano and finally Garda Lake. Some of the very best roads in the world with a supercar, paired with Italian hospitality at its best.

Gran Turismo Europa has been around for over ten years. In 2024, we start in St Moritz and traverse the Swiss Alps before heading to Italy and later Monaco and Saint-Tropez. This is one of our most popular events and it is fully booked since the late summer.

Our great Italian road trip, Gran Turismo Italia, is scheduled for the end of September. This is a great time of the year since the weather in Italy is perfect for driving. We start near Bologna before going to Florence, Portofino, Barolo, Lago Maggiore, Como Lake, Lago d’Iseo and Garda Lake. An elegant road trip in the most beautiful country in the world, driving the best roads and staying at the top hotels.

Finally, we have our Tuscan tour. Tuscany is a driver’s heaven with awesome roads for a supercar. Start and finish in Florence, as always. In between we drive through Chianti, visit L’Andana near Grosetto, have lunch at the best seafood restaurant on the Mediterranean and drive the famous mountain pass known from the James Bond movie Quantum of Solace.

On top of this, we are planning a tenth event for the next year. A special event is currently being planned for the end of October by our Head of Special Events, Marcin Jellinek. He has a great idea, and we will hopefully be able to send you an invitation at the end of March. It will be spectacular.

Thank you for two decades of driving supercars, making everlasting friendships and creating great memories together. It has been a fantastic time, and we are grateful to be your hosts.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!