Nissan GT Academy India qualifying rounds begin February 20

Team OD Updated: April 03, 2018, 02:36 PM IST

Nissan GT Academy qualifying rounds will start in full-swing from tomorrow. The inaugural qualifying round of this world-class, logic defying talent hunt was held at the 2014 Auto Expo at Greater Noida where close to 400 entrants participated.

Nissan-GT-Academy

Delhi (NCR) is the first of the five cities where the qualifying rounds will be held. From February 20-23, 2014, the qualifiers will be held at the Ambience Mall, Gurgaon. The other cities are Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai. See box below to see timings of the live events in these cities.

A popular programme in other countries for its peculiar approach to motorsport training, Nissan PlayStation GT Academy will extend exactly the same platform to motor racing aspirants in India. Entrants will have to first race on simulators and if they prove to be quick enough, can go through to the National Final.

To learn about the Nissan GT Academy click here.

GTAcademy

Out of the five cities, fourteen contestants who clock the quickest lap times will be eligible to compete in the National Final. These 14 contestants will need to go through a two-day intensive physical and mental training examination which will filter out only six contestants who will be eligible for the International Race Camp at Silverstone, UK.

Live Events details:

         Feb 20-23, 2014: Ambience Mall, Gurgaon, NCR
         March 20-23, 2014: R-City Mall, Ghatkopar, Mumbai
         April 17-20, 2014: Inorbit Mall, Hyderabad
         May 15-18, 2014: Mantri Mall, Bengaluru
         June 5-8, 2014: Express Avenue Mall, Royapettah, Chennai

To pre-register

1. Visit www.nissan.in and go to INNOVATION menu to find information about GT Academy

2. Visit www.facebook.com/nissanindia (Click on GT ACADEMY INDIA)

3. SMS 'GamerToPro SPACE CITY NAME to 92 23 30 68 00 to pre-register for participation in any of these cities: New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai

Read full press release below

NISSAN PLAYSTATION GT ACADEMY IN DELHI (NCR) TO FIND INDIAN MOTOR RACING TALENT

NEW DELHI / GURGAON, February 19, 2014 Nissan will start the qualifying roundstomorrow, for its award-winning driver discovery and development programme, GT Academy at Ambience Mall, Gurgaon. The 'virtual' competition on simulators will be open for participation until Feb 23, 2014.

Already popular in other countries as the gateway to motorsports, Nissan PlayStation GT Academy will extend exactly the same platform to motor racing aspirants in India. Entrants will have to first race on simulators and if they prove to be quick enough, can go through to the National Final.

With the launch of GT Academy, Nissan, one of India's youngest global automobile brands, will have the opportunity to connect even more closely with the Indian audience.

Mr. Kenichiro Yomura, President Nissan India operations, "We're delighted to launch GT Academy in India; bringing the programme here reinforces our commitment to growing the Nissan brand and developing relationships with both existing and potential customers. GT Academy really proves that Nissan stands for innovation and excitement for everyone."

GT Academy's Indian qualifying rounds in high-footfall shopping malls are termed 'Live Events' and will be organised in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai, on completion of the Delhi (NCR) round, which will begin tomorrow. At a later stage, an online qualifying round will be hosted on the Sony Entertainment Network Account (SEN) earlier popular as PlayStation Network (PSN).

Nissan PlayStation®3GT Academy the competition

GT Academy is an innovative platform that offers aspiring racers and gaming enthusiasts to register, compete and potentially win a place in the coveted driver discovery and development programme.

Entered by racing on the Gran Turismo®6* video game, exclusive to PlayStation®3, GT Academy is a 'virtual to reality' programme that will test the racing acumen of enthusiasts through a time-trial competition on PlayStation GT6 racing simulators. The time-trials should be considered as qualifying rounds and will be hosted at shopping malls in New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai.

Out of the five cities, fourteen contestants who clock the quickest lap times will be eligible to compete in the National Final, the first gateway to GT Academy's coveted International Race Camp. The 14 contestants who enter the National Final will need to go through a two-day intensive physical and mental training examination programme which will filter out only six contestants who will be eligible for the International Race Camp at Silverstone in the United Kingdom.

Silverstone International Race Camp and making of the Nismo Athlete

Popular among international contestants as the best one week of their lives, the Silverstone Race Camp will include the six shortlisted Indian contestants and pit them against 18 qualified contestants (six each) from other nations that are also new to the programme. Under the supervision of experts from the world of motorsports all international contestants will undergo and endure exhaustive training for mental and physical strength. Their driving skills will be tested and honed on the Formula One Silverstone motor racing circuit in Nismo-tuned Nissan 370Zs and GT-Rs. GT Academy's Silverstone Race Camp will eliminate all but one overall winner, one from any one of the competing nations, who will then move on to the Driver Development Programme and learn all the skills necessary to compete in an international 'graduation race'.

Ordinary people across the world, with an aspiration to pursue a career in motor racing have found the opportunity of their lifetime in the Nissan PlayStation GT Academy driver discovery and development programme.

The international award-winning Nissan PlayStation GT Academy is in its sixth year and has been hugely popular and successful in Europe, Russia, the USA, the Middle East and South Africa. Today's launch signifies India's inclusion in the newly-created international league.

FOR PARTICIPATION IN GT ACADEMY LIVE EVENTS

Registrations for 'Live Events' will be accepted at any of the below mentioned shopping malls:

Feb 20-23, 2014: Ambience Mall, Gurgaon, NCR

March 20-23, 2014: R-City Mall, Ghatkopar, Mumbai

April 17-20, 2014: Inorbit Mall, Hyderabad

May 15-18, 2014: Mantri Mall, Bengaluru

June 5-8, 2014: Express Avenue Mall, Royapettah, Chennai

TO PRE-REGISTER

Visit www.nissan.in (Click on the link and go to INNOVATION menu to find information about GT Academy)

Visit www.facebook.com/nissanindia (Click on GT ACADEMY INDIA)

SMS 'GamerToPro SPACE CITY NAME to 92 23 30 68 00 to pre-register for participation in any of these cities: New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai

***

*Gran Turismo®6 is being used as the first qualifier in Nissan PlayStation®3GT Academy because the game focuses on a high-end simulated driving experience. The technology used in the game is the closest a user will get to driving a real Nissan car.