Gran Turismo is a racing video game designed by the Japanese studio Polyphony Digital, directed by Kazunori Yamauchi, and produced by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation range of consoles. The game is renowned for its visual realism and the depth of its driving sensations. This racing game proposes circuits that are faithful to reality. The gameplay and physical models of the cars are also highly realistic.
In 2023, the film Gran Turismo was released. It was directed by Neill Blomkamp. It is an adaptation of the video game and is also inspired by the story of Jann Mardenborough, who became a professional driver through the GT Academy in 2011. Indeed, in 2011 the GT Academy proposed a competition where over 53,000 racing drivers in the making competed in Gran Turismo 5’s online time trials. The 32 best players in the country competed in Orlando, with the fastest 16 qualifying for the final at England’s Silverstone Race Circuit, with a chance to become a professional racing driver as their reward ! At the time, everyone thought it was a crazy idea, that it was impossible to turn an ordinary player into a professional race driver. The legendary Silverstone Race Circuit was a complete stranger to our top 16 competitors in the USA. Very few of them knew the track layout, the history of F1 or even that of this legendary circuit. And they had no idea of the physical and psychological challenges that awaited them. With the aim of electing the best driver at the end of the season, exceptional judges were permanently on site to guide the players and evaluate their every move. Of the 16 who started, only 4 were able to climb aboard a 370Z and cross the finish line. In the end, it was Jann Mardenborough who won and became the ultimate winner of GT Academy 2011 !
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