The NISMO PlayStation GT Academy continued its legacy of unearthing real racing talent from the world of PlayStation’s Gran Turismo game when an all-gamer line-up finished the 2015 Dubai 24 Hours race in second position in the A6 Pro-Am class, a stunning fifth overall.
Competing in the full race-spec 550bhp Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 in the prestigious international race was the ultimate prize for four GT Academy 2014 winners - Gaëtan Paletou (France), Ahmed Bin-Khanen (Saudi Arabia), Ricardo Sánchez (Mexico) and Nicholas Hammann (USA).
The impressive result comes after only three months of intensive training in GT Academy’s cutting-edge Driver Development Programme. The new drivers were joined in the race by 2013 GT Academy Germany winner, Florian Strauss – the team’s ‘professional’ who himself has just 18-months of racing experience.
The tenth running of the Dubai 24 Hours was the first taste of international racing for the latest crop of GT Academy champions and the first time that the gamer-to-racer competition’s winners have raced in Dubai in the ultra-quick A6 category. The gamers proved once again to be up to the challenge putting in a disciplined, controlled, mature and, most importantly, quick performance to take to the podium. They were only beaten in the Pro-Am class by a team that included two professional drivers, one of whom was GT Academy judge Rob Barff.
The ‘veteran’ Strauss had qualified the #23 car 14th overall and first in the Pro-Am class on Thursday and it was down to him to make Friday’s race start in a packed grid of 95 cars. Strauss handed over to European winner Gaëtan Paletou before Middle East winner Ahmed Bin-Khanen took the car into Dubai’s dusk. International winner Ricardo Sánchez and North American champion Nick Hammann raced their first stints in the darkness of the 5.39km circuit.
The GT Academy team’s fortunes ebbed and flowed throughout the night with some unlucky timing on driver changes and a couple of drive-through penalties costing them time. But when the sun came up, Nick handed over to Florian who put in a charge and took the car to P2 in class, fifth overall. Gaëtan consolidated the position handing over to Ricardo with a five-lap buffer over their nearest rivals. The team orders then came through to bring the #23 Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 home safely and, fittingly, it was senior partner Florian Strauss who took the chequered flag in the fourth 24 hour race of his 18-month motor sport career.
Dubai is a major step towards professional racing for GT Academy winners. The race allows them to show off the skills first displayed on the Gran Turismo game for PlayStation 3 and then honed by top experts in driving, race craft, fitness and psychology on the comprehensive, fast-track GT Academy Driver Development Programme. Those that display the right speed, aptitude and potential may be lucky enough to be invited to become NISMO Athletes, joining the likes of Strauss, Jann Mardenborough and Lucas Ordoñez as key components in Nissan’s burgeoning motor sport programme. Since its inception in 2008, GT Academy winners have now recorded a total of 87 podium finishes, including two at the famous Le Mans 24 hours.
Darren Cox, Global Head of Brand, Marketing & Sales, NISMO added: “What a performance. Twenty four hour races are generally a roller coaster of drama and excitement combined with severe fatigue. However, it is testament to the professionalism of the team, the reliability and speed of our car and the thorough preparation of our drivers that we have come through this event relatively unscathed and with a highly impressive result. It speaks volumes that the team brought out three tonnes of spare parts and will take the same three tonnes back home with them!
