GT Academy: Difference between revisions

'''GT Academy''' (also known as '''Nissan PlayStation GT Academy''' and '''NISMO PlayStation GT Academy''' as part of the [[Nissan]] partnership) was a television programme runproduced by Grand Central Entertainment and funded by [[Nissan]] and [[Sony Interactive Entertainment]], whichfrom provided2008 an alternative route into real-lifeto motorsport2016. GT Academy provided skilled ''[[Gran Turismo (series)|Gran Turismo]]'' gamersplayers thean chanceopportunity to go from virtual to reality, from their [[PlayStation]] toearn a real-life professional racing career with Nissan.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gran-turismo.com/gb/academy/|title = GT Academy}}</ref>

InGT 2006,Academy Nissanwas Europe generalconceived managerby [[Darren Cox]], madeformer aNissan promotionalEurope deal with [[Sony Interactive Entertainment|Sony Computer Entertainment]] UK that brought fans of [[PlayStation]] driving games for a day of drivingexecutive, in Nissan2006 cars.to One of the instructors described the driving skills of some fans as having a clear impression on the circuit. Nissan andhelp Sony recognizedPlayStation theracing valuegamers of the concept, and GT Academy launchedbecome twoprofessional yearsracing laterdrivers.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Spurgeon |first=Brad |date=2012-06-14 |title=From the Virtual Track to the Real One |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/15/sports/autoracing/15iht-srplaystation15.html |access-date=2022-12-11 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.topgear.com/car-news/gaming/new-gran-turismo-movie-will-hit-cinemas-11-august-2023|title=The programmenew wasGran originallyTurismo intendedmovie towill runhit forcinemas onlyon 11 August 2023|date=5 January 2023|website=Top Gear}}</ref> A small event was held in 2006 in a yearpartnership with Sony, butwhere participants competed in the seriesGran continuedTurismo game and on an actual track for sevena moreNissan years350Z fromprize.<ref 2010name="auto2">{{Cite toweb|url=https://arstechnica.com/cars/2022/06/sony-is-making-a-gran-turismo-movie-due-next-august/|title=Sony itsis conclusionmaking a Gran Turismo movie, due next August|first=Jonathan M.|last=Gitlin|date=15 June 2022|website=Ars Technica}}</ref><ref name="auto"/> Cox saw the speed in 2016real cars of the gamers and his idea of 'Gamer to Racer' was born.

GT Academy continued in 2010, expanding to 17 countries, including [[New Zealand]] and [[Australia]]. A GT Academy-oriented [[Downloadable content|DLC]] for ''Gran Turismo 5'' was released to the public, and was the prerequisite required for participants to qualify for the programme. The DLC was downloaded by participants more than 1.3 million times during its active period.{{Citation needed|date=December 2022}} In 2011, the competition expanded to the [[United States]], where Bryan Heitkotter became the first GT Academy Winner outside of Europe.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bryan Heitkotter - GT Academy |url=https://www.gran-turismo.com/gb/academy/graduates/bryan/ |access-date=2022-12-11 |website=gran-turismo.com |language=en}}</ref> The European competition in 2011 began at the [[24 Hours of Le Mans]] in [[Le Mans]], [[France]], as inaugural GT Academy Winner [[Lucas Ordoñez]] made his Le Mans race debut. 2012 saw the beginning of live events, offering a way into GT Academy for those without access to a PlayStation 3 console or [[Gran Turismo (series)|''Gran Turismo'']] game.

In 2013, GT Academy included competitions in [[Europe]], the United States, [[Germany]], [[Russia]], the [[Middle East]] and [[South Africa]], each entering the competition for the first time on ''[[Gran Turismo 6]]''. In 2014, a new International competition was introduced, broadening GT Academy again to Australia and the Middle East, and for the first time to [[India]], [[Mexico]], and [[Thailand]]. The sixth season in 2014 grew to include separate competitions for Europe (France, [[Italy]], United Kingdom, Spain, [[Portugal]], [[Belgium]], [[Netherlands]], [[Luxembourg]], Russia, [[Sweden]], [[Poland]], and [[Czech Republic]]), Germany, North America (United States and [[Canada]]) and an International group (Australia, India, Middle East, Mexico and Thailand). In the [[2015 Dubai 24 Hour]] race, four new GT Academy winners finished second in the GT3 Pro-Am class and fifth overall out of 95 cars, just months after winning their respective GT Academy competitions. The round in [[Malaysia]] was planned in 2015, together with new countries such as [[Japan]] and [[Indonesia]].

TheDeveloped for television by Executive Producers Andrew Hill and Rabin Mukerjea, the contest comprised different phases. Players began with virtual racing on [[Polyphony Digital]]'s ''[[Gran Turismo (series)|Gran Turismo]]'' games and progressed to National Finals before the winners of each region competed for real in actual Nissan cars at Race Camp. This experience involved week-long testing and challenges that also involved elimination. Throughout all seasons of the programme, 'Race Camp' was based at [[Silverstone Circuit]] in the [[United Kingdom]] where the winner was crowned to whoever demonstrated the highest potential to transition from Gran Turismo gamer to a real racer. Nissan's Driver Development Program was included to try and assist GT Academy winners to develop the skills needed to compete against those with years of car racing experience. Over six seasons, more than five million people had entered GT Academy via PlayStation 3. GT Academy winners who qualified to compete in the international race or series were also considered for a potential future racing career with Nissan as a Nismo Athlete.

For 2015, there were three GT Academy competitions based on region.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/GTAcademy {{User-generated source/|certaintitle=yesGT Academy|datewebsite=March 2022www.facebook.com}}</ref> These were:

At the [[24 Hours of Le Mans]], Lucas Ordoñez finished second in the LM P2 category in 2011, and in 2013 he finished third alongside [[Jann Mardenborough]] (2011 European winner). In 2014, [[:fr:Wolfgang Reip|Wolfgang Reip]] recorded the first-ever all-electric lap of the Le Mans circuit, driving the Nissan ZEOD RC.

In the [[Blancpain Endurance Series]], Jordan Tresson was winner of the GT4 class in 2011. In 2013, the Pro-Am cup was won by Lucas Ordoñez, while the Pro-Am team cup was won by Nissan GT Academy Team RJN, which included Jann Mardenborough, [[:fr:Wolfgang Reip|Wolfgang Reip]] (2012 European winner), Mark Shulzhitskiy (2012 Russia winner), Peter Pyzera (2012 Germany winner) and Steve Doherty (2012 USA winner). In [[2015 Blancpain Endurance Series|2015]], [[:fr:Wolfgang Reip|Wolfgang Reip]] became a joint Drivers' Championship Pro Cup winner.

On 8 February 2015, GT Academy graduates [[:fr:Wolfgang Reip|Wolfgang Reip]] (2012) and Florian Strauss (2013) teamed with Super GT driver [[Katsumasa Chiyo]] to compete in the [[2015 Liqui Moly Bathurst 12 Hour|Bathurst 12 Hour]] at the famous [[Mount Panorama Circuit]] in [[Australia]]. Driving a [[Nissan GT-R|Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3]] for the [[Nismo Global Driver Exchange|NISMO Athlete Global Team]] in the Class AA, they completed 269 laps to claim the overall race win.<ref>{{cite news |date=8 February 2015 |title=NISMO Godzilla claims tense Bathurst 12 Hour |work=Speedcafe |url=https://www.speedcafe.com/2015/02/08/nismo-godzilla-claims-tense-bathurst-12-hour/ |access-date=9 February 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=9 February 2015 |title=GT Academy Graduates Win Bathurst 12 Hour |work=[[Gran Turismo (series)|Gran Turismo]] |publisher=Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. |url=http://www.gran-turismo.com/gb/news/00_1378363.html |access-date=22 March 2015}}</ref>

In 2016, [[:fr:Wolfgang Reip|Wolfgang Reip]] was the first and only graduate to sign a professional contract with another manufacter than Nissan as he signed a contract with Bentley Motorsport for the [[GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup|Blancpain Endurance Series Cup.]] [[Nicolas Hammann]] became the first GT Academy graduate to compete in [[stock car racing]] (both ''Gran Turismo 5'' and ''Gran Turismo 6'' had featured [[NASCAR Cup Series]] cars), where he made two starts (all on road courses) for [[Mike Harmon Racing]] in the [[NASCAR Xfinity Series]]. Hammann made further road course starts in the Xfinity Series in 2017 and 2019.

|{{flagicon|BEL}} {{ill|Wolfgang Reip|lt=|fr|}}

|<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web |title=GT Academy |url=https://www.gran-turismo.com/gb/academy/ |access-date=2022-12-12 |website=gran-turismo.com |language=en}}</ref>

|<ref>{{Cite web |title=FIA WTCR - Ahmed Bin Khanen joins for home event - automobilsport.com |url=https://www.automobilsport.com/race-categories--24,245523,FIA-WTCR---Ahmed-Bin-Khanen-joins-for-home-event,news.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221212001520/https://www.automobilsport.com/race-categories--24,245523,FIA-WTCR---Ahmed-Bin-Khanen-joins-for-home-event,news.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-date=12 December 2022 |access-date=2022-12-12 |website=www.automobilsport.com}}</ref>

== Recognition Impact==

*[[: {{Category:|GT Academy participants]]}}

[[Category:GranSports Turismocar racing (series)]]