The premise behind Nissan’s GT Academy is simple: pick the fastest race car drivers in the virtual world, on the Sony PlayStation 3 console’s Gran Turismo 5, and then do what you can to turn one into a professional racer in the real world. Past winners, such as Lucas Ordonez, have progressed rapidly from gaming to winning real races, and Ordonez’s crowning achievement to date was a podium finish at the 2011 24 Hours of Le Mans.
In 2012, GT Academy winner Jann Mardenborough ran in the British GT Championship’s Pro-Am class with professional racer Alex Buncombe. The Pro-Am category pairs novice drivers with pros, in order to mentor rising stars and give them seat time in competition. In short, it sounds like the perfect ladder series for GT Academy drivers to aspire to.
There’s only one problem. In the opinion of the British GT Championship manager, Benjamin Franassovici, GT Academy winners are too fast to be amateur drivers, but too inexperienced to be considered professionals. Franassovici has banned GT Academy winners from competing in the series’ 2013 races, as “Their talent, going on Jann’s speed last year, doesn’t reflect this lack of experience so it is not fair to put them up against our Pro/Gentleman grid, the basis of British GT3.”
While it’s a compliment for any racer to hear he’s too fast to run in a particular series, the ban also impacts the drivers ability to get seat time. Nissan’s global motorsports director, Darren Cox, calls the decision “disappointing,” but promises that new GT Academy graduates will still have a great schedule in 2013.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
