Wannabe racing drivers have the opportunity to take their talent to the next level when GT Academy comes to South Africa next week. After a few months of trials and challenges, the eventual winner might earn the opportunity to race in the 24 Hours of Silverstone.
A collaboration between PlayStation and Nissan, the Academy’s started in 2008, and as such the vehicles such as Nissan’s 370Z and GT-R to put console racer’s through their paces. Of course, the GT Academy uses GT5 – long hailed as the ultimate driving simulator – and PS3 for the task of determing the best of the virtual world.
The programme has allowed those with dreams of making it big in racing, but have never got past winning a few races on their Playstations. After regional GT Academy tryouts in Europe, the USA and Russia, previous winners Lucas Ordoñez, Jordan Tresson and Jann Mardenborough, have between them competed in the European Le Mans series, 24 Hours of Le Mans, World Endurance Championship and the British GT championship.
Over the course of three stages, competitors will progress from online challenges and racing to attending a fully-fledged race camp in the UK under the tutelage of former Formula One stars Johnny Herbert and René Arnoux and other respected motorsport figures.
The first stage requires hopefuls (with a Playstation 3, internet access, and valid South African driver’s license) to compete online at at racing events to qualify for the national finals (stage 2), which will in turn result in eight finalists being chosen from the bunch to progress to stage 3 for the GT Academy Race Camp at Silverstone, England – to drive real 370Zs and GT-Rs. The eight South Africans will be joined by eight finalists from the Middle East, and an eventual winner will come out of that 16.
But that’s just the beginning for the winner, who will have to go through the three month Driver Development Programme, to obtain an international racing license and eventually compete in the 24 Hours of Silverstone in 2014.
The GT Academy officially starts on 15 October 2012, with the selection of 24 finalists to happen between 15 December 2012 and mid-January 2013.
