Nissan GT Academy: Virtual insanity now a reality

Rejoice, gamers of India who get a kick out of playing arcade and simulation racing games. All those hours spent furiously tapping the arrow keys on the PC keyboard or money spent acquiring the latest gaming consoles could theoretically lead you to competing in a top level global junior single seat racing series, supported by both Japanese car manufacturer Nissan and Formula 1 world champions Red Bull Racing to boot.

One of the attractions at this year’s Auto Expo at Greater Noida was at the Nissan/Datsun stall where two gaming simulators were set up allowing people to try their hand at racing a lap of Silverstone with their times going into a pool from which 14 of the fastest would be selected. They will compete against 14 more people from those trying out the same five lap/ten minute (whatever comes first) simulation module available to play on a Playstation 3.

It’s the “democratization” of motorsport according to Nissan whose brainchild the renowned GT Academy is.

Away from the Expo, the Nissan GT Academy was in the motorsport press even more as its 2011 winner Jann Mardenborough was announced as a Red Bull supported driver who will compete in this year’s GP3 Series season.

The 22-year-old has raced in endurance sportscar races supported by Nissan before turning to the Infiniti (Nissan’s luxury brand) backed Red Bull F1 team, which has agreed to place him in the same team that F1 debutant (with Toro Rosso) Daniil Kvyat drove for to win last year’s crown of the series that sits just two rungs under F1, Indycar and now the Japanese Super Formula on the global single seater racing ladder.

Out of the 28 Indians who will face off in the national finals (no upper age limit) six will be chosen to go to Nissan Motorsport’s race camp in Silverstone, UK.

Start dreaming gamers.