GT Academy expanded to the Middle East late last year, with a special round of the competition that started last December.
The series’ Race Camp was broadcast on the widely-viewed Arabian television channel MBC, and also saw the first female national finalist – GTPlanet’s own “Hollow”.
Earlier this week, the Middle East champion has finally been announced as Salman Al Khater, a 29-year-old mechanical engineer from Qatar.
“GT Academy has made my dream of becoming a professional racing driver come true,” said Salman.
“I had no professional motorsport experience, but I did have the passion to follow my dream. It was tough as the standard of my competitors was very high but that makes winning even more rewarding. When GT Academy Middle East was announced, I was so glad to hear the news that I started training on the same day.
“I have been playing Gran Turismo ever since I was a kid and until today Gran Turismo is my favourite game.”
Salman has already moved to the United Kingdom, near Silverstone, where he will continue to train for his first professional challenge, a six-hour endurance race, in September.
Congratulations, Salman, and thanks to Feras for the tip!
See more articles on GT Academy Middle East.
Slowest ill beatem
Congratulation Salman. I hope you do really well in your racing career. Just show the world that Gran Turismo racing game and GT Academy (the greatest program / show on this planet) really put your driving skill to its very hight!
Congrats Salman wish you the luck man :cheers:
congratulations Salman :)
الف مبرووك :)
Congrats Salman!!! Great Job on your Win and Good Luck on the Track! You earned it.
Congrats
hope your find success in your new carrer.be thankful you have a secondary carrer as a mechanical engineer as a back up.that background will be of more help than you may ever know
For those of you who want GT Academy to go to your country don’t just sit on your backsides and do something about it. May I recommend that you get in touch with the parties responsible directly instead of just complaining here on GTP. Here’s a head start for those of you living in Australia and New Zealand.
Nissan:
——–—
Website NZ – http://www.nissan.co.nz/insidenissan/contact/
Website AU – http://www.nissan.com.au/webpages/information/Contact_us_footer.html
Facebook NZ – http://www.facebook.com/NissanNZ
Facebook AU – http://www.facebook.com/nissanaustralia
Twitter NZ – http://www.twitter.com/NissanNZ
Twitter AU – http://twitter.com/nissan_aus
PlayStation/Sony Computer Entertainment:
——————————————–
Facebook NZ – http://www.facebook.com/PlaystationNZ
Facebook AU – http://www.facebook.com/PlaystationAU
Twitter NZ – http://www.twitter.com/PlayStationEU
Twitter AU – http://www.twitter.com/PlayStationAU
In your haste to get the word out it appears that you’ve completely forgotten to give any form of congratulations to Salman Al Khater. After all, this topic is about his achievements, is it not?
Congrats
Congrats!
Congratulations!!!! Alllahu Akbar!!
Congratulations Salman! Was a Qatar resident myself for 17 years. GRew up there! Proud.
Congrats Salman!
(where was GT Academy 20 years ago when I was fit and more able? :sigh:)
It’s never too late. You can be fit if you make yourself become one. Age is just a number and noting more.
Congratulations, Salman Al Khater. :tup:
Congrats Salman on winning GT Academy ME!!! :D Enjoy your passion of racing to the fullest and I can’t wait to see him in action soon.
Congratulations! If you really want it, you’ll make a way to get it!
Jordan. is this the winner of the South African/Middle East finals? i qualified for the SA finals and when Lucas Ordornez visited, there was a kart race with various journalists and Lucas. One of our SA finalists was in the mix as well. Lucas and our finalist was way ahead swopping the lead frantically – awesome racing – am surprised he did not win :o. Nevertheless well done Salman
!
ps just saw a vid where Ashley won the main race – hope he is taken on as well
Congrats! Fans of all other racing games, can your game do this? Can it turn dreams into reality and give ordinary people the chance to be extraordinary? I didn’t think so!
Haha! I think not. ;)
No other game can do it. As for Iracing, they are too busy counting their beloved money.
Congrats
Congrats
well done Salman, akweyyyy lol … shame i never knew there was a middle east GT academy version (wasn’t a GTP member back then) ,,, i only did the international version ,,, hope this time around Gran Turismo will make sure GT5 players from every separate GT Academy region will get notifications concerning the local regional competition, with separate GT Academy versions to download from the store, yet the players can see all other Gran Turismo regions players times, for competitive comparison .. thanx for the article Jordan … wish all the best to Salman
Congrats, soon we’ll have a whole league of them to watch. Getting hard to keep up with all there individual updates!
good for him. congratulations!
It will be interesting to see how he stacks up on the world stage. I hope Hollow shows up for some WRS stuff now that we know what she is all about.
And in south america we are still waiting :/
And Australia, too.
And Zimbabwe, also !!!
Been waiting for so long for south america to be included…
irrelevant until Canada is let in.
Isn’t it because of the country laws?
its something to do with quebecs gambling laws, atleast that’s what I heard
You can’t really say something is irrelevant just because your country can’t participate in it.
Blame your laws.
mabrook essalam :)
Congratulations! I wish Salman and the rest of the GT fans all the best.
Congrats Salman! Good luck with your new life :) we’ll be following your every step!! :)
Congratulations! I wish Salman and all the other GT Academy graduates the best of luck a successful racing career.
Congrats Salman.
Congrats. Finally we get to see the winner from Middle East. Good luck and we will be looking forward to see you in action Salman :)
Congrats Salman. Reach for the stars and give it your all! ;)