I think they want to keep pushing the intensity of GT Academy, so maybe having only 3 months to get them ready for Dubai could be them 'upping the bar'. With that said, the whole Dubai thing may be getting a bit old at this stage, so they might try put them straight into a series this time. However, since it's one big PR stunt they will need to make an ending for the TV audiences so it's hard to guess what they will do this time.
As for the gaming this year, I think it will be a standalone download and feature Silverstone as well as challenges similar to what we saw last time. I feel it makes sense to demo their new DLC in such a way that millions can try it and even more sense to have some challenges taking place on the track when the finalists will eventually battle it out. I would not be one bit surprised if the final time trial is a full lap of Silverstone in a 370Z. All speculation, but the track has been scanned several times a long, long time ago. I think it's time.
Finally, as for my career. No sponsorship, no money, I'm trying to earn a living so it's very hard to try find thousands or euro to do a few races. I have spoken with a lot of high profile people in the industry, drivers and team owners too, and the underlying theme that comes from every conversation is that it is going to be very hard without serious backing. A lot of people have actually tried to discourage me from pursing it in the nicest way possible. We can all do a simple series and do well in a championship, but to make the step up you need a lot of backing. It doesn't matter how good you are. As one very successful Irish driver said to me, "The guy with the most money will almost always go the fastest". But to be fair, I'm just looking for an opportunity to test, and even to do that is crazy money. A Porsche Carrera test could cost 5-8k from what I'm lead to believe. It's ludicrous to try do it on your own without the help of the very wealthy.
I have managed to get a job working for a European LeMans Series team, Murphy Prototypes. The team is Irish owned so it's cool for me to be keeping with something from my country. I will mainly be working on their video, photography and media stuff - you can see some videos I've made for them
here and check out their facebook too for photos,
here.
It's going to be nice to travel a bit and learn what goes on behind the scenes. Maybe something will come out of it in the long run, but for now my aim is to do as good a job as I can for them and see if I can get more work in the industry thereafter.
I will try my best the next year! You were a big motivation and a great example of how we all should think in everything we want to make a reality.
