Like other GT Academy events before it, this winter’s Middle East final has been given the reality TV treatment.
Starting in May, the series will be broadcast by the Dubai-based, free-to-air satellite provider MBC. With pan-Arabian broadcasting, MBC has a viewer count of 150 million – so the event’s as-yet-unnamed winner could face quite the thrust into the limelight.
The Academy organisers have been kind enough to provide a bit of bruising, behind the scenes footage ahead of the show for those of us unable to receive MBC:
In a timely reminder to those who didn’t win that they can still achieve their goals, GTPlanet member and unsuccessful 2012 Academy Race Camp attendee Hugo Araujo has received a leg up into his intended career.
Hugo’s managed to attract sufficient sponsorship to get himself a seat in the Super Seven Trophy by KIA in 2013. The features Lotus Seven clone cars and Hugo will be driving the Comval Racing Westfield – the only Westfield on the grid alongside 19 Caterhams – in six races around the Iberian peninsula. We wish Hugo the best of luck!
Race Camp image courtesy of GT Academy.
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Meanwhile in the middle east…. Lol
I would like to comment on the video in Detail as I was one of the Finalists from the Middle east.The South African group was also participating ALONG side of us. Funny you guys say we were horrible when you just saw 2 guys out of the 16 who participated at the time. the First crash was from the middle east group and the Second crash was from the South African group
The First crash was in a 370z Nismo GT4 race car (the VERY same one GT Academy uses for races). Big time driver error, overshot the brake marker and dived right into the corner. plus if you listen carefully he upshifted before cornering.
The Second crash was in a regular 370z academy car. this was partly driver error. Normally at race camp they pull the fuse for the ABS and ESP, but in these slippery conditions they dint want to risk it. so during that time when abs was suppose to work, it Failed!…yes he could have let go of the brakes or Cadence braked…but at the heat of the moment, lots of stuff will go through your head as to how you suddenly lost traction when ABS is on.
The first crash though….was really bad. I cant say anything else as I cant reveal what happened to him after that.. ;)
*The first crash though….was really bad. I cant say anything else as I cant reveal what happened to him after that.. ;)* From the look on the instructors face… we may never see dude again.
I’m really curios how that first 370z looked after that crash. Looked pretty heavy.
you can see a pic of the car on the flat bed here ;)
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-48zwlt3o1fs/UVvxVMtK94I/AAAAAAAAAN0/WZb2fx5CUGY/w804-h812-p-o-k/IMG_20130320_130047.jpg
wow these guys are horrible,
I agree. Hopefully with practice they’ll get better.
Some of them did not adapt well to the cold weather. Remember that their final was in Dubai in 40 degree heat in January and the 1st day of the Silverstone Race Camp degenerated into a snowball fight. The other days were little better for temperature.
But that’s what Race Camp is for. It sorts out the more adaptable drivers.
“40 degrees” meaning 40 degrees Celsius, not Fahrenheit. Just for the record. :)
Lol, guess that video show how its important to note that not all talent in the game translates to the track. Perhaps he turned in his PS3 time trial lap with ABS.
I can understand how this big crash happened. There are small numbers of people in the Middle East who played GT5.
There are only about 80 peoples panticipating, thus, there are much more chances they will find a low skilled driver in their race camp. I was really against the idea of bringing Middle East region to GT Academy, since it had less player.
It would be awesome if this years Nissan GT Academy used cars that are used in the GT Academy like those little open wheel cars, the GT-R that races in GT1, and the LMP2 which is, of course, the big prize, running Le Mans. The cars used by graduates in the real world might be cool to showcase how it transfers in the real world.
It would be interesting, I do agree. However, with a contestant crashing into the barrier like shown in the video, it might just become to costly to do have them use those cars.
I mean in the PS3 GT Academy, should’ve specified. Yeah, smaller level racer like they use now are good, but they probably can’t put every driver right into the fire of an Oreca LMP2 car, lol. In the video game though, it would be cool.
I’ll admit I’m slightly surprised at the total lock ups at slow(ish) speeds and slides into the walls.
Surely they would know it was better to take their foot off the brake and try to steer away from the wall coming at them before then reapplying the brake?
Exactly, if ya miss the corner keep braking like normal and take the corner wide. Even of you go through the dirt, at least ya didn’t plant it.
Good luck to you, Hugo! Show ’em how we roll here at GTP! >:)
Wow that was some poor driving I must admit.
Thank you friends, will try to keep everyone updated about this fantastic Racing Experience. Hugo Araújo
Congratulations Hugo and much luck in the series!
Massive news,MBC is big here.Big big exposure