Germany Gets its Own GT Academy in 2012

In an unusual twist following on from yesterday’s news that GT Academy is rumoured to be returning to Europe this March, German website Speedmaniacs reports that Germany is to get its own GT Academy for 2012 rather than being part of the European GT Academy. This rather unique situation is corroborated by an article posted on the German PlayStation Blog site.

Both articles give insight into the selection process, with which GT Academy fans and participants will be familiar:

  • 1st Stage – 16 drivers to be selected through various “live” competitions, including Auto Mobil International in Liepzig, at the Nürburging 24hr race and at Nissan dealers; 16 further drivers selected through online time trials at an Eifel Course Creator circuit
  • 2nd Stage – A 2 day long “finals” tournament at the Nürburgring in July to select 12 finalists
  • 3rd Stage – A 5 day long Boot Camp at Silverstone to select the ultimate winner

The sites also name the judges for the Silverstone final as Ring-Taxi driver and previous GT Academy judge Sabine Schmitz, RJN Motorsports team manager Bob Neville and Nissan works GT1 driver Michael Krumm. The final prize will be, as ever, an intensive race training program in GT4 competition using a Nissan 370Z and then a seat for the 2013 Dubai 24hr race on January 12th and 13th 2013.

Unlike previous years, this isn’t a regional eliminator competition, rather a full GT Academy alongside the European GT Academy but independent of it and open only to German nationals.

Thanks to Bernhard Meininger for the tip!

GT5 Photomode image courtesy of Ddrizle.

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Comments (49)

  1. tpark103

    Wow 2 days at the ring! Do you have any idea what car fans workd wide would do for that? It sounds absolutely amazing!!!!

  2. TGR_Kefran

    I think limiting the GT Academy to Germany is the best solution if Pody and Sony want a German guy to win it. :-)

    It is better than what happened last year when French and Spanish sim racers were selected for the finale even if Lucas and Jordan had won the 2 first GT Ac…. but in an extremely ambigous situation; the staff preferring drivers from other countries to win…

    1. NissanGTRspecV

      Does anyone have the GT academy nissan GTR (the one in the picture) and is willing to give or trade it?

  3. PIGBOY

    Australia will never be in any competitions.full stop…The asian competitions dont include us because we are classed as EU and we will never be in any EU competition because we are in the asian region…..we are the scum of the earth to anybody who does these competitions.If anybody in Australia can get a comp going GET OFF YA ARSE

  4. pyru

    GT ACADEMY LATIN AMERICA!!!!???? Someday????? Just to reminder that few of the best drivers in history are from an spanish speaking country…. Soooo what’s going on Nissan and PD??????

  5. A_Higher_Place

    I was actually thinking about this before I read this. “I wonder when a German driver will make it big”

  6. Smuttysy

    Hmmm, does this mean a new GT Academy car coming to GT5? Perhaps an Audi R8 GT Academy Edition or BMW Z4 GT Academy Edition?
    I doubt it, but I guess we can only wait and hope,,, for yet another GTR >:0)

    1. occasionalracer

      ^ I wouldn’t wave it off as an impossibility, we’ve already seen the collaboration with Mercedes for the Sigiature Edition SLS prize and the fun competition with David Coulthard… could be that GT Acadamy will expand their program with other manufacturers to expand the awareness of the Acadamy in Europe. I also don’t think Nissan can keep handing off new drivers each year to their race teams.

  7. Heathenpride

    I agree with the concept but instead of giving an already participating nation it’s own academy why not include ALL of north & south America and giving Oceana an academy too. There is some fast drivers in Canada, Oceana & S. America but we have to sit and watch instead, it’s frustrating.

  8. m8h3r

    Considering the immense amount of World Class driver than come from Germany this comes as no surprise to me. On the same note, if there is ever a GT Academy Rally event then Finland should have its own one too.

  9. *ibo* S3 Racer

    As it seems Austria, Switzerrrrland and Luxemburg will also particpate (so all german speaking).
    As a Luxemburger this would be awesome.
    Asked in the blog, awaiting answer :drool:

    1. R1600Turbo

      Look for the various thread in the forums. There’s a reason they were excluded last year, but Sony is trying to change that.

    2. Tvensky

      many countries cant even be registered in PSN and never will compete in GT academy….. :( like new part of the Europe, Baltics.. etc. very sad..

  10. EiFFeL

    I guess it must be because there are already English, Spanish and French European GT Academy winners, and there should be also a German one… Anyway it’s strange that they restrict the event to one country…

    1. avens

      well, if you check any drivers ranking by nationality it’s perfectly clear that the germans are by far the best racing drivers.

      If you remove all nascar related competitions, since those are far from what’s considered racing anywhere else in the world, the US wouldn’t make it to the top20.

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