2011 GT Academy Europe winner Jann Mardenborough has been signed by Red Bull Racing to compete in the 2014 GP3 Championship with the Arden International team. The 22-year old Brit from Darlington has had a lucrative rise from console racer to potential future F1 driver. After winning GT Academy, Jann competed in the 2012 24 Hours of Dubai (along with GT Academy USA winner Bryan Heikotter) and drove his Nissan to a third place finish. He also drove in British GT Championship in 2012, winning a race and finishing sixth in points. In 2013 Jann turned his attention to open wheel cars and competed in the Formula 3 Championship.
While GT Academy has had an impressive number of competitors move up to endurance racing rides (including Jann), Jann’s Red Bull signing marks the first time one of the academy’s driver has been picked up by a big time open wheel team. Of course, there are many steps and breaks to go from GP3 to F1, but Arden’s Red Bull driver from 2013, Daniil Kvyat, is driving for the Toro Rosso team in F1 this year so at least there is a good track record.
Regardless of what happens from here on, the GT Academy has been a resounding success in my eyes. For years us sim racers have seen some amazing talent online (a.k.a. aliens) and wondered what would happen if they got a chance in the real world. Now thanks to GT Academy, that question has been answered. Sony and Nissan appear to be fully behind continuing GT Academy and I hope in the future more sims and sponsors will get together to give more aliens their chance behind a real wheel.
Don’t forget, Lucas Ordonez has been doing a ton of racing, including now going to Super GT!