January might not seem like a month for motorsport milestones, but January 14 does mark a very significant occasions. It was on this day in 2012 that a team of drivers made up entirely of racing gamers took a podium finish at a major 24-hour race.
We’ve got quite a few Gran Turismo memorabilia collectors here on GTPlanet. It’s not just scouring eBay for examples of rare game releases, but people who’ll collect absolutely anything with a Gran Turismo logo on it.
It’s not even been a week since the highs and lows of the Le Mans 24 Hours and the GT Academy team are in action again, this time at the fearsome Nürburgring 24 Hours.
Nissan today announced that it is bringing back the Nissan GT-R to the Nordschleife with an assault on the 2014 Nurburgring 24 Hours. The event, held on 21-22 June, is one of the toughest endurance races in the world, providing the ultimate test of man and machine as they compete on the daunting Nurburgring Nordschleife.
The Nismo Athletes on board the Greaves Motorsport Zytek-Nissan had nothing to be ashamed about. Completing a 24 hour race in a 4th place class finish after a night long battle for the podium with a first timer on board – and doing the lion’s share of the driving too – is well worth a round of applause. But this morning they find themselves with an unexpected trophy.
Just two weeks after the 6 hours of Bahrain FIA WEC race, Jordan Tresson and the Signatech Nissan team took to the track again, this time at the Fuji International Speedway for the 6 hours of Fuji.
Although Jordan Tresson went into this weekend’s Bahrain 6 Hours knowing there was no chance of the title, he and his Signatech team are still determined to fight for every available point.
Last weekend was a busy one for Gran Turismo stars on real-world race tracks; in addition to Wolfgang Reip taking victory in the European GT Academy 2012, previous winners Lucas Ordoñez, Jordan Tresson, Bryan Heitkotter, and GT series creator Kazunori Yamauchi were also competing.
Nissan power took nine of the top 10 positions at the Le Mans 24 Hours today, rounding off an incredible week for Nissan at the world’s best endurance race. Former Le Mans winner Martin Brundle made good his return when he came home in eighth place in class with his son Alex and GT Academy winner Lucas Ordonez. The second GT Academy winner Jordan Tresson made his Le Mans debut, impressing the Signatech Nissan team with his professionalism as he powered to ninth place alongside Franck Mailleux and Olivier Lombard.
Following up on their “Road to Dubai” series, which covered the development of all four GT Academy graduates as they worked towards this year’s Dubai 24 Hours, the Eurosport television network has now turned their attention to Lucas Ordoñez and Jordan Tresson’s preparations for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
GT Academy’s 2010 champion Jordan Tresson gets a second chance at an LMP2 debut this afternoon as the Signatech Nissan team take to the track for the WEC Spa 6 Hours.
The first batch of GT Academy 2012 details raised almost as many questions as they answered; most importantly, how would the competition evolve and how would competitors advance over the 8 weeks of competition?
2010 GT Academy champion Jordan Tresson was all set to make his FIA World Endurance Championship debut in the 12 Hours of Sebring this weekend, behind the wheel of Signatech Nissan’s new LMP2 car. Alas, it was not meant to be.
After 24 hours contending with the heat, dark and fireworks of Dubai, the all-GT Academy team of Lucas Ordoñez, Jordan Tresson, Bryan Heitkotter and Jann Mardenborough managed to bring their RJN Motorsport Nissan 370Z home in a creditable 3rd place in class and 26th overall:
All fans of driving games should be aware of this by now, but today marks the start of a most unique race. A seat in the Dubai 24 Hours has been the ultimate prize in all GT Academy events to date but today, for the first time, the car is driven exclusively by GT Academy alumni – with 2011 winners Bryan Heitkotter and Jann Mardenborough joining Jordan Tresson and Lucas Ordoñez behind the wheel of the RJN Motorsports Nissan 370Z.