Can a Gran Turismo gamer really be transformed into a world-class racing driver? The challenge is on.

For the third year running, Nissan has partnered with Sony Computer Entertainment to launch the GT Academy.
Uniting the world of virtual and real racing, the competition offers one lucky winner the chance to become a certified racing driver – all based on their home grown racing skills.  

Competitors from ten different countries compete in an online race, using the ultra-realistic Gran Turismo 5 on the PlayStation 3.  The competition is always fierce – last year over 1 million players took part, with only the fastest twenty racers going through to the live territory quarter finals.  

The players who beat the online competition get the chance to see if their skills are just as successful on a real race track. They earn a place at a six day driver training race camp at the world-famous Silverstone circuit – training in high-performance Nissan race cars, including the Nissan 370Z and Nissan GT-R.

The stakes are high, and the competition is tough. But there can only be one winning racing driver. And it’s the champion who gets their hands on the ultimate prize – a place in the prestigious Dubai 24 hour international race, at the wheel of the Nissan 370Z GT4.

Past champions have gone on to achieve notable racing success – establishing the competition as a credible route into top-level motoring. Take Lucas Ordonez, Spanish winner of the first GT academy who went on to finish second in the 2009 European GT4 Cup. Or last year’s winner, Jordan Tresson, who took the 2010 European GT4 Cup in his stride by coming an impressive fourth place.  

Who will be victorious this time round? Stay up to date right here.