Nissan has unveiled their plans to expand their GT Academy program to Australia, as a means to develop future drivers for their Nissan Altima V8 Supercar program.
Nissan’s GT Academy was developed in collaboration with Polyphony Digital, developers of the Gran Turismo video game series. They currently have programs in the United States, Great Britain, Germany, Russia, and the Middle/East, and have been responsible for the successful careers of drivers such as Lucas Ordonez, who has 2 podiums in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and recently expressed desire to run the Bathurst 1000.
Nissan Global Motorsport Director Darren Cox stated that the Australian program “is on the radar and the local guys are very keen to do it. I would say that in the next two cycles of the academy, so in the next 18 months, you’ll find that there’ll be an Australian version of it.”
Australia was allowed to participate in the second GT Academy competition in 2010, when there was only one iteration of the program. However, when the program separated into different programs based on geographic location, Oceania was notably absent. Bringing Australia back under the GT umbrella could bring the next generation of drivers to the Australian GT Supercars.
What do you think of Australia possibly getting back under the GT Academy fold? Would you be interested in watching the progress of an Australian driver from virtual to reality?
I can’t wait to compete next year, bring it on!! 🙂