Nissan has announced that four gaming graduates from its 'GT Academy' will compete in this year's Le Mans 24 Hours race.
The GT Academy was set up in 2008 as a means of spotting and developing potential racing talent among gamers and giving them a chance to take their virtual racing talents into the real world.
The program is a collaboration between Nissan and the developers of the Gran Turismo video game. Online qualifier competitions are organized by Gran Turismo, with the winners going on to participate in a real-life race camp in Silverstone, UK. The overall winner is then put through a driver development program before going on to race on tracks around the world.
Lucas Ordonez will be taking place in the Le Mans 24 Hour race as the world's first ever 'virtual-to-real' race driver.
Converted-Gamer Race Drivers
The GT Academy Transforms Gamers into Real-Life Race Drivers
Trend Themes
1. Gamers in Motorsports - The GT Academy's success in transforming gamers into real-life race drivers highlights the trend of utilizing gaming to identify and develop motorsports talent.
2. Virtual-to-real Transitions - Lucas Ordonez's participation in the Le Mans 24 Hour race as a 'virtual-to-real' race driver showcases the trend of transitioning virtual racers to real-world racing.
3. Collaboration Between Gaming and Auto Industry - The partnership between Nissan and Gran Turismo in the GT Academy demonstrates the trend of collaboration between the gaming and auto industries to discover and nurture racing talent.
Industry Implications
1. Gaming - The success of the GT Academy shows the disruptive innovation opportunity in the gaming industry to leverage virtual platforms for talent identification and development.
2. Motorsports - The integration of gamers into professional racing through the GT Academy reveals the potential for disruptive innovation in the motorsports industry by expanding talent pools.
3. Automotive - The collaboration between Nissan and Gran Turismo in the GT Academy presents a disruptive innovation opportunity in the automotive industry to tap into untapped gaming talent for future drivers.