Japanese car manufacturer Nissan launched its world renowned GT Academy in India today at a press conference in New Delhi along with announcing that one of India's two racing drivers with Formula 1 experience, Karun Chandhok (right in picture), will serve as a 'mentor' to GT Academy participants in India and after six of those participants are selected for the GT Academy's race camp in Silverstone in the United Kingdom.
Nissan India's vice-president of communications Matthew de la Haye termed the GT Academy initiative, which has been running since 2008, as the 'democratization of motor sport', due to the application process that is open to anyone who is 18 years old or older and has a valid drivers' license.
"Over four million people have participated in the GT Academy since it was launched over five years ago," de la Haye told autoX a day prior to the press conference. "It's not a marketing stunt as the drivers who have come through the academy and won are professional drivers including Spain's Lucas Ordonez who scored a class podium at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
"So the finalists have all their costs covered by Nissan's motorsport division (Nismo) based on their performance, therefore someone Lucas is fully funded by us."
Ordonez (left in picture), who along with fellow GT Academy winner Jann Mardenborough, has finished ninth overall on two occasions at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, was on hand to unveil the simulator rig along with Chandhok that will be installed in Nissan's stall at the upcoming Auto Expo in Greater Noida from February 6 to 11 as well as in shopping malls in Gurgaon, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai.
The 28-year-old Spaniard - who was the first winner of the GT Academy - admitted that while his father and elder brother participated in motorsport, he never competed until he was selected for the Academy and became a professional racing driver.
"Racing was in my blood and I was always trying to compete in motorsport events but due to the costs involved I never really did anything aside from a few kart races," Ordonez told autoX. "I was not really a big gamer either until I heard of Nissan tying up with Playstation to launch the academy after which I worked hard to get a good time on the simulator and then make it to the European finals in Silverstone."
Six Indians will be chosen to compete in the GT Academy's race camp in Silverstone from the 28 who will be chosen from their participation at simulator rigs at the Auto Expo and five other cities as well as through online participation - by downloading the Gran Turismo competition module on their playstation consoles and setting a time.
Aside from driving, the race camp is expected to train and select drivers based on their physical fitness too.
"I used to play some sports before I started racing but I was not really fit," said Ordonez. "But after the race camp, I started to work really hard on fitness and have brought my weight down from 85 kilos to 73."
Chandhok praised Nissan's initiative to bring the GT Academy to India claiming that it would help eliminate the hurdles that many drivers faced in terms of motorsport participation in the country.
"There's a problem for aspiring racing drivers who cannot go to Chennai or Coimbatore to race in whatever series is running in India," said Chandhok at the press conference. "At least this way there will be a way for them to be part of a selection process on a simulator that comes pretty close to being accurate.
"My role in mentoring the participants at the national finals and in Silverstone will have more to do with advising them on driving techniques and giving perspective regarding a career in motor sport."
The GT Academy Live Event schedule is listed below while pre-registration for the online time trials are currently open on Nissan India's official website and their facebook page. Participants can also register for 'Live Events' by texting GamerToPro <CITY NAME> to 9223306800.
The online time trials are expected to begin three weeks from today.
GT Academy Live Event schedule
1) Feb 7-11, 2014: Nissan Display Area, Hall 12, India Expo Mart, Greater Noida, NCR)
2) Feb 20-23, 2014: Ambience Mall, Gurgaon, NCR
3) March 20-23, 2014: R-City Mall, Ghatkopar, Mumbai
4) April 17-20, 2014: Inorbit Mall, Hyderabad
5) May 15-18, 2014: Mantri Mall, Bengaluru
6) June 5-8, 2014: Express Avenue Mall, Royapettah, Chennai
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