Sony picks GT Academy winners to race in Dubai 24 Hours
First art imitates life and now video games do the same, with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe and Nissan having joined forces to create the GT Academy. Over the course of eight months, the academy culled a group of wannabe racers from a field of entrants who posted the best lap times in GT5 Prologue. Then, for five days at Silverstone, the finalists competed in the game and on the actual track, watched by ex-F1 racer Johnny Herbert and a panel of five judges.
The two winners were just announced, and Top Gun status went to Lars Schlomer and Luis Ordonez. Schlomer is a taxi driver in Bonn, Germany; Ordonez is an MBA student from Spain. Now that they've won, they'll be thrown into boot camp for four months to learn to how to race for real silver: in four months, they'll have to earn their racing licenses and get ready to drive a factory-backed Nissan 350Z in the 24 Hours of Dubai this coming January.The rest of us will have to be content with GT5 Prologue for now...
[Source: Sony]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Pete 12:45PM (9/06/2008)
Bah, I held the #1 spot on GT5 prologue for the Lotus Elise and Mitsubishi Evo for months...
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hydrogenvodka 11:46PM (9/06/2008)
yeah, me too
meatbag 6:24PM (9/06/2008)
wow... my mom always told me video games were a waste of my life... liar.
thats what i get for listening to my parents
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sotrain 12:50PM (9/06/2008)
That is still pretty cool. Gamer's dream come true.
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Stumpy 12:54PM (9/06/2008)
I think this is really cool. I understand that not every Gran Truismo player is a good real life racing driver, but obviously the best of the best have the knowledge of what makes a car go fast.
I wish both those guys the best of luck! Hopefully their video game skills get them quick times on a real life track.
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JD 1:43PM (9/06/2008)
Now, I say this as an avid video gamer: Just because you set fast lap times in a game doesn't mean you will in real life. This is just a contest, with the winners determined by a game. As much as anyone might tell you, there's still a huge disconnect between reality and the controller in your hand. Still, this is pretty cool, a neat opportunity for these people.
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timmer 2:06PM (9/06/2008)
True. the whole speed thing doesn't really work in a video game.
But, I'm sure that they are able to pick a line on the game, so as long as they can hold it while driving, and not get scared pushing an actual car to their limits, they should do fine.
bduddy 3:22PM (9/07/2008)
Actually, the finalists were determined by the game, but the winners were determined by real races.
Yar 2:17PM (9/06/2008)
The insurance on this stunt has to be astronomical.
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Jason 5:18PM (9/06/2008)
Stunt? Not really. It's no different from those stupid reality shows on tv.
meatbag 6:46PM (9/06/2008)
the insurance? probably not any higher than it is for any other race driver. i mean michael Schumacer and Mario Andretti werent born "special" some how, like they dont have a 3rd foot for the clutch that some how makes them less of an insurance risk. sure they've got loads more skill than than man and probably you too, but to an insurance company racing in general is a "stunt"
i dont know firsthand or anything but my assumption is that there isint any insurance on the cars on even the most professional levels. as far as the drivers them selves having health or life insurance, well i bet most of them do, and you're right i bet it aint cheap either, but hey im sure they can afford it.
Sam 2:54PM (9/06/2008)
Wow. Color me jealous. Very jealous.
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Reader 2:54PM (9/06/2008)
This is beyond awesome. I really aught to play some racing games again...
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jjohn488 1:02AM (9/08/2008)
First art imitates life and now video games do the same, with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe and Nissan having joined forces to create the GT Academy. Over the course of eight months, the academy culled a group of wannabe racers from a field of entrants who posted the best lap times in GT5 Prologue. Then, for five days at Silverstone, the finalists competed in the game and on the actual track, watched by ex-F1 racer Johnny Herbert and a panel of five judges.
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jjohn488
auto auctions
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Brad 10:47AM (9/08/2008)
Posted the best time on what track using what car?
The thing I would be worrying about if I were them is if my neck could hold up to those G forces. I know it's probably not all that high but driving a race car on a race track is still torture on your neck muscles if you are not prepared for it.
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