Do you think GT Academy is fixed?
- Thread starter Voodoovaj
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- Rule 12
- GTP_Famine
Really?
I've been to seven GT Academy national finals and Race Camps and there's plenty of overweight guys getting in. Some even make it right up to the end and I don't think it's unfair to say that when Steve Doherty won the US event in 2012 he wasn't the leanest specimen.
The national final formatting is now an equal weighting between a Gran Turismo competition (which serves as an elimination too - from 30-odd to 16), fitness, media skills and driving challenges - while the Race Camp concentrates far more on fitness and driving, but even then they're far more bothered by driving than fitness or indeed age.
It's not coincidental that every GT Academy winner to date (caveat: We've never been invited to Germany or Russia race camps) has won the final race at their Race Camp. It's not a guarantee, but it's never been anything but winner-takes-all. So far - I wouldn't like to be the judges deciding to give it to the guy who didn't win the race, nor the guy who wins the race but doesn't get it. That said, I was sure that @joshmuggo was going to win the International one this year because his racecraft in that last race was stunning and he was a body panel away from taking the race win too.
- 1,298
- Middle River , MD
- Ruzinvincible
- Ruzinvincible
- 28,471
- Windsor, Ontario, Canada
- Johnnypenso
The qualifying TT's that determine who makes the competition have no weight or physical fitness requirements. If you are fast enough to be in the top 4, 16, 32, whatever the number is, you get in, end of story, if you choose to go that is. Look at the race camp photos and you don't see a lot of heavy people there to begin with. Perhaps they qualified on time but decided their fitness wasn't good enough to win so they didn't go but whatever the reason, the photos alone tell you that overweight and out of shape doesn't usually make it through the TT and into the competition to begin with.
GTP_Ingram
Premium
- 1,916
- London
- GTP_Ingram
- NowtDaft
Very few overweight guys qualify for the national finals in the first place, and there is literally no possibility for bias when you're sat competing at home. If you're overweight, chances are you're unfit, which generally adversely affects your focus, reaction times, and your whole mental attitude in the first place. However, there are one or two who could be considered "carrying a few extra pounds" who have made it through - Growling has already mentioned Karl Chard, for example.
When I was at race camp, two winners, Jordan Tresson and Luca Lorenzini, were picked to go through the Driver Development Program, with one chosen to race at the Dubai 24h. Although Jordan was a machine - fitter than any GT Academy winner (and arguably any competitor) before or since - Luca was certainly overweight, and perhaps the least fit out of the 18 finalists in my year. However, he got through on his driving talent. The judges agreed that it's easier to get a handy driver down the gym to lose a few pounds than it is to train up someone who needs more practice behind the wheel.
Going slightly off-topic, Luca is still racing. In 2014 he was competing in the Italian Lotus Exige V6 Cup, and last I saw he was testing a GC10 V6, which for anyone who watched the Dubai 24H was the wide-arched silhouette racer which vaguely resembled a BMW 1 Series Coupe.
- 810
- Wilsonville, OR USA
- scca_ziptie
I made it to Silverstone - and I "was" definitely overweight, 6'0" and 220 lbs.... I was closer to 230 when I qualified at national finals in NY, dropped down to 210ish prior to Silverstone - am now currently at 195 (lower than when I graduated High School) and still in pursuit of my racing goal.
Overweight people make it to race camp. There was at least one other person there with me who wasn't a "perfect physical specimen" - maybe three of us total..
- 553
- United States
- GTP_ParkerMO125
A
A little irrelevant, but I still think about the guy smoked cigarettes everyday there and outran damn near all of us Lol that was a mind **** for sure
- 9,401
- Western Sydney
- mustafur
Well if Frank Biela can smoke and still win Lemans in a Audi i guess it's possible lol.
- 1,435
- Mission, British Columbia
- BC_BOYZZ
On the topic of out of shape drivers; My grandfather who's been racing for just over 45 (maybe 46?) years now, has had a few health issues and is missing two and a half fingers on his left hand due to war related incidents. This man can wheel a car around a track faster than 90% of the 'Hot shoes' that attend the races... Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that he's almost in his 90's. Basically what I'm trying to say is that while health and age does play a roll in the higher stages of racing, it's definitely not what makes someone fast. You never know until you try...
- 6,392
- Pennsylvania
- wat3rm370n
Well, I think this is what makes it unlikely in GT Academy... Anyone with previous racing would be less likely to be in GT Academy... Because if they had wanted to race professionally, they probably had opportunities before.
I think many people can probably be very fast at age 80. Especially if they've been racing for many years!
But I don't think this is often the case with older people who start for the first time at an older age. (Just like anything else, the early years of life are often key.)
So, though my mother's a decent driver, I don't know that she'd be a good racer.
Though I do have some shocking memories from my youth of her burying the speedometer needle on the highway.
But I don't think that counts as racing experience. 
- 810
- Wilsonville, OR USA
- scca_ziptie
Nic (2014 winner) was a previous karting champion, long time racer of cars (had his own e36 BMW racecar) - same with Ricardo (international winner) as he was a karting champion as well.. If you see an opportunity for a cheaper way of racing, or a cheaper way to upgrade your racing level, which is GT Academy, it's going to be executed upon.
- 553
- United States
- GTP_ParkerMO125
Yea people sometimes fall too deep in to the marketing saying "from gamer to racer"
Yes we are all gamers cause we play GT, but many of the Silverstone champs and finalist have previous racing history
Yes we are all gamers cause we play GT, but many of the Silverstone champs and finalist have previous racing history
- 28,471
- Windsor, Ontario, Canada
- Johnnypenso
Hand your mother the controller, let's see what she can doWell, I think this is what makes it unlikely in GT Academy... Anyone with previous racing would be less likely to be in GT Academy... Because if they had wanted to race professionally, they probably had opportunities before.
I think many people can probably be very fast at age 80. Especially if they've been racing for many years!
But I don't think this is often the case with older people who start for the first time at an older age. (Just like anything else, the early years of life are often key.)
So, though my mother's a decent driver, I don't know that she'd be a good racer.
Though I do have some shocking memories from my youth of her burying the speedometer needle on the highway.
- 9,437
- Portland, OR
- Jump_Ace
- JUMPxACE
Wasn't the first guy who won an autocross champ who was a pizza driver? Plenty of time @home to sit and race (wish I could do that
) IMO he should've been DQ'd, same with anyone who has done any real racing, autocross or chumpcar.Jerome
- 9,401
- Western Sydney
- mustafur
The Thing is though, Josh Muggelton from my knowledge hasn't had any racing experience before Gt academy and only had some track days before hand, but most of everything was done on sims and he was pretty much the fastest person at International race camp last year.
- 340
- Swansea
- Rhodriewilliams
When you say E36 race car what are we talking about a 318is compact race/road car or a proper GTR?
- 297
- United States
Wasn't the first guy who won an autocross champ who was a pizza driver? Plenty of time @home to sit and race (wish I could do that
Jerome
That'd be silly to eliminate a bunch of motorsport enthusiasts, that have only ever competed on an amateur level, from a competition based on becoming a pro driver. I went to Silverstone with a mere five autocrosses under my belt and damn near won the thing, so it's not like it takes a great deal of experience to show up and do really well. And plenty of people with full time jobs (myself included) found time to turn laps and make it to finals.
- 6,392
- Pennsylvania
- wat3rm370n
My spouse did one time... She loved it!Hand your mother the controller, let's see what she can do
- 9,437
- Portland, OR
- Jump_Ace
- JUMPxACE
It's not silly as they still have an edge. It's about those who never hit the track before, not about those who are experienced amateurs ready to make it to the next level.
Jerome
- 5,619
- Hampshire
- Spurgy777
- 5,619
- Hampshire
- Spurgy777
- 297
- United States
I think what you expect is unrealistic. The people gunning for GT Academy are in large part already car/motorsport enthusiasts. Those that literally have ZERO experience are probably the outliers. Even those that do have experience regularly go in as much less than "experienced amateurs", as stated I had only five local autocrosses (in a stock miata), while others may have had one track day. I don't consider autocross 'tracking', the speeds and discipline are entirely different. Made evident by the fact I ran similar laps at Silverstone to my fellow 2012 alumni Nick and Jeff, whom both walked away with SCCA Solo National Championships this year, while I placed 30 something of 67.
- 9,401
- Western Sydney
- mustafur
well then I guess Jann doesn't exist.
He has probably 1/5th the experience of basically anyone he has raced.
- 751
- Red Deer, AB
- ForgetfuI
As a 2014 North American national finalist that went in with no real car racing experience, i'd say they're doing it right.
Since then I have attended an autocross and, yes, having just one event under my belt might have helped me do better than I did in New York, but it's not like the experience they allow is out of reach for the average person. In fact, as some found out, it's not hard to attain too much experience and exclude yourself.
Danny Sullivan told us that they're not just looking to give someone a race car driver experience for winning a contest, they're actually looking for championship calibre drivers in a pool of untapped talent.
Nissan's NISMO Global Athlete team is the hottest thing in racing right now, in large part because of the success of the GT Academy drivers, and Nissan is the major driving force behind the whole program.
This isn't just a video game contest, it's a legitimate professional driver search.
Since then I have attended an autocross and, yes, having just one event under my belt might have helped me do better than I did in New York, but it's not like the experience they allow is out of reach for the average person. In fact, as some found out, it's not hard to attain too much experience and exclude yourself.
Danny Sullivan told us that they're not just looking to give someone a race car driver experience for winning a contest, they're actually looking for championship calibre drivers in a pool of untapped talent.
Nissan's NISMO Global Athlete team is the hottest thing in racing right now, in large part because of the success of the GT Academy drivers, and Nissan is the major driving force behind the whole program.
This isn't just a video game contest, it's a legitimate professional driver search.
- 553
- United States
- GTP_ParkerMO125
Edit: Never mind
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- 810
- Wilsonville, OR USA
- scca_ziptie
Josh is a mega talent, and sometimes those mega talents haven't done much if any real racing prior (like Jann).
See attached photo - come on now though, nobody who isn't a pro or near pro racer has a GTR
