GT Academy 2011 - General Discussion

[MeAgainstYou]

thanks for share John

 

[DC-Z]

Good luck Jann and James!

 

[TwinturboCH]

Good luck Jann and James!

Thanks dude

I'd love to keep everyone here updated, but I'm leaving shortly for my flight to France for the first stage, and from here on in I think I'll probably only have time to keep my Twitter account updated with the progress of myself and the rest of the competitors throughout the 'boot camp'.

If you want to keep track of the progress and hear all the news as it happens, add my Twitter account, http://twitter.com/#!/JamesHudsonGT

Thanks guys,

James

 

[Dessy182]

Best of luck to Jann and James. I'm sure both of you will do very well and hopefully there will be a winner from the UK & Ireland territory. Let's hope Lucas does well this weekend too! Enjoy guys!

 

[davissi]

I want the most talented guy to win and he isn't necessarily the most experienced. All the best Bruno Ferreira 👍

 

[davissi]

So Bryan Heitkotter just got interviewed on Eurosport and even he said to go and get yourself some seat time in real cars to prepare for GT Academy. :/👎

 

[CodeRedR51]

So Bryan Heitkotter just got interviewed on Eurosport and even he said to go and get yourself some seat time in real cars to prepare for GT Academy. :/👎

Don't quite understand your thumbs down. He is right...

 

[davissi]

How are you supposed to find undiscovered natural talent from an ever improving servies of driving sims if previous winners are telling people to get real life driving experience to do well in the competition ?

 

[Dessy182]

Has anyone noticed Jordan Tresson is a race engineer for a Porsche team? I just saw him on the pit wall talking with a group of other engineers, all of whom were listening to what he was saying.

 

[CodeRedR51]

How are you supposed to find undiscovered natural talent from an ever improving servies of driving sims if previous winners are telling people to get real life driving experience to do well in the competition ?

You don't really need driving experience, but keep in mind those that do have the extra experience are usually the ones that will rise to the top. Not saying that will happen all of the time, but for the US Academy that's what happened.

 

[Ginger666]

Have you seen this ad with Lucas in french newspaper : http://www.jvn.com/jeux/articles/lucas-ordonez-gt-academy-fait-de-la-pub-pour-nissan.html

 

[CodeRedR51]

Translation?

 

[Synwraith]

Hey all,

Some updates from Silverstone Final where the action is taking place:

Making it through to the last 6 last night (one from each territory), being announced one by one on Facebook (follow it live from here)

- Sascha Meyenborg (DE/AT)
- Jann Mardenborough (UK/IE)
- Thibault Lacombe (FR/CH)
- Thomas Arends (NL)
- Danilo Bordino (IT)
- Carlos Murillo (ES/PT)

So our commiserations to the following who have not made it past this already incredible stage of the competition:

- Alexander Welcke (DE/AT)
- James Hudson (UK/IE)
- Bastien Bartsch (FR)
- Edwin Bos (NL)
- Federico Pinna (IT)
- Bruno Sousa Ferreira (ES/PT)

I have also added all the recent Facebook vids of the finals so far:
https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=184915
including Spanish/Portuguese and Italian territorial finals, physical and mental training, a colourful wake up call for the contestants.

Here are a few pics (uploading and updating as we speak) snapped throughout the course of today and yesterday:

Edwin Bos explaining a small crash in the single-seaters to Rob Barff and Eddie Irvine

Lucas mentoring Bruno Ferreira on single seater grid

LMP2 Signatech Nissan car from Le Mans

Tonio Liuzzi with Danilo Bordino

Sabine Schmidtz with Sascha Meyenborg on the single seater grid

Sleeping quarters at Stowe building (Silverstone) for finalists

Johnny Herbert and Vitantonio Liuzzi on GT5

Paintball chase!

Hispania F1 driver and Italian GT Academy mentor Tonio Liuzzi on GT5

Steering wheel test of physical and mental endurance (and standing in the right place!)


- Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Flickr -​

All the best
Maz

 

[mamilo89]

Hi Guys. I wanna show you the 6 finalist of European GTAcademy 2011 @Silverstone. Follow this link (is not a spam message)

...too late.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Steering wheel test of physical and mental endurance (and standing in the right place!)

Hmm, interesting...

 

[Tidgney]

Big congratulations to Jann ! Wish him all the luck for the next few months! He was so focused at the nationals so was expecting him to do extremely well. He was speechless at the nationals must have no voice at all at the European finals !

 

[Synwraith]

You've all no doubt seen the post on Facebook or in the News thread in this forum on who won GTAcademy 2011, so here are some extra photos I was able to snap between duties today:

Johnny Herbert and Sabine Schmidtz looking a bit worried after Sascha Meyenborg has trouble and spins the 350Z GT4 car at the first corner of Stowe Circuit

Sascha after his accident

Carlos Murillo and Bruno Ferreira

Tonio Liuzzi gives a talk to his mentee Danilo Bordino

James Hudson and Jann Mardenborough

Lucas giving an interview before second round of eliminations

Trackside barbecue for all media and guests at the BRDC club

Old pitlane at Silverstone after final race

Podium ceremony for final 4 - Mardenborough - Lacombe - Murillo - Bordino

More podium - TV crew sorting positions

Podium with Eddie Irvine and Rob Barff

All 4 of the finalists on the podium

Celebrations!

Jann calling his mum to let her know he won!
"Where are you?? You what? Pull over!"

Calvin grabbing quotes from Johnny Herbert, Jann and James's mentor

Jann being interviewed by BBC radio

Champions' walk...​

All the best
Maz

 

[davissi]

Its finished then ! I'm surprised at each nation knocking out their fellow competitor. Remembering how different the standards of each region was very varied indeed and now people like Barsch and Ferreira can't do this again now. Found out from reading the Independent newspaper article about the virtual to reality thing that the journalists were allowed 6 laps in the 370z around the proper track too ! I thought it was our competition not theirs ? They should've had to cones not us. I reckon that'll be the last one now anyway. Maybe another manufacturer will take it up ?

 

[CodeRedR51]

Congrats to Jann! I wonder if he'll be training alongside Bryan?

 

[Timppaq]

Congratulations Jann!! 👍 👍

 

[PrudentBear]

Many congratulations Jann! It's really great to have a UK winner. 👍

Best of luck with your training - let us know where and when you'll be racing and maybe we can get a few GTP folks together to come along and support you. I went to see Jordan and Luca at Mallory Park last year and it was great to see them in action outside of the Academy competition.

John

 

[Saidur_Ali]

Congratulations Jann on becoming the first UK winner and also in style by winning the final race. I had a good feeling you might win it after impressing in the UK finals against tough opposition.

Wish you the best of luck in the future, I think you are the youngest ever winner which is another positive. Just make sure you get that international racing license and you could be set-up for life as a racing driver and young enough maybe to venture of to open-wheel categories. Hopefully you will make it big like Lucas has done and maybe take it a step further.

 

[Rutter200_VR46]

Congratulations Jaan! Had a feeling you were gonna win. Enjoy every moment of this life changing experience! I'll be following your progress.

I can see the conspiracy theories have already started on the Facebook comments... Laughable.

 

[GTP_CICO]

Congratz Jann! Been following facebook and looked like such a great adventure for all the guys.

Thanks Maz for the extra photos 👍

 

[HKS racer]

I didn't follow GTA very closely but I wonder how they decided the winner, he won the final race a championship or something, or they voted him?

 

[CodeRedR51]

I didn't follow GTA very closely but I wonder how they decided the winner, he won the final race a championship or something, or they voted him?

Throughout most of the physical/mental/driving tests, he stood above everyone else.

 

[MeAgainstYou]

Throughout most of the physical/mental/driving tests, he stood above everyone else.

physical percentage = 0
Jann made 5 minutes of military part... only 8 guys finished that and only those guys who finished, were physically broken over the rest of the week! unthinkable tatic for most but it worked loool

Never the less... congrats to Jann and he will be definatly a good pilot in future 👍

 

[davissi]

Congratulations Bruno ! I can't believe you did so well considering you definitely thought you were unable to compete this year and had the last minute entry through the wildcard. You must have a good core fitness to do all that without training! I'm so impressed mate.
Regarding Jann it is a shame that for all the good things we would all want to see him do to deserve this like Jordan last year but there are too many negatives coming out of the woodwork, I am sure he is and will be a great driver but lets not forget the others are apparently great drivers too !

There were so many controversies this year it has really made fools of the organisers, not Jann its not his fault in fact he's the perfect age for this. It would've been so nice to see a youngster like that just blazing a trail through instead of all this funny business.

The organisers tripped themselves up by banning previous competitors and when they saw Jann I think they couldn't help making it easier for him thinking he would only be 20 next year and already never eligible again. He still had to work hard of course. There were just little things that only make small differences but it really upsets the people who tried so hard and dedicated so much time to this even if Jann would've maybe won anyway regardless or come definitely top 4.
I thought I smelt a rat in the nationals when questioning why they gave Dunford no practice laps against Jann who did a few laps and they put the slower Jann in front instead of behind on the grid unlike everyone else, it was the way that when Dunford politely consulted the referee they quickly jumped defensively and swept it clean under the carpet. I watched him catch easily straight up and try to overtake cleanly to have the door closed on him, I was standing there thinking if that was me I would've barged my way past (to my rightful place) but I would've been penlaised.
To quit the military training assault tests at the beginning...what's that about ? What's the point in doing the military thing then ? Not the fastest driver and someone else head and shoulders faster (Thibault), some of the better competitors being knocked out by their equally high standard teammates based on judge perception...eh!?

Thibaults car being changed then not working properly in the most important race and the only one that mattered ??

Someone really needs to explain all this and its not Jann's fault at all but what the heck are they doing ?

I would love to read one of the organisers honest account of events and reasons why they decided Jann was the guy they wanted. Everyone knows he's the right profile for them, like gettnig number 1 in the media with seemingly not much substance in any of the interviews I saw. So let's hear it from them then we can all forget about the whole thing. Let's not forget all the hours everyone has put into this to not be short changed, also I'm not talking about myself, I beat myself, took myself out but I like many am a purist and love things to be done fairly.
All the best to Jann but people like Sascha, Carlos, Bruno, Thibault, Arnaud, Lars should be allowed to do this again.

regards, dav


P.S. as an after thought there's two things I didn't mention, I generally try so hard to see fair play I only went to the nationals to try and win it outright and also to try and influence the outcome if I couldn't win it, last year the real fast guys were barged out of races or slipstreamed by slower drivers all over the territories, this year I was hoping it would be better and I wanted to keep an eye on that whilst trying to win it myself. If I found myself ahead of someone who I thought deserved it more I was gonna pull over. The other thing I didn't mention was as a competitor I had the opportunity to cheat influecing the participants since I have being twice offered money to do times for people to qualify for the final. Both times I refused for the sake of the competitions authenticity. I refused £1000 offered by someone that I will never mention because you know him. All for the sake of seeing a fair competition so I REALLY hope there was no funny business in this and I REALLY would like to see a fair explaination of the events and decision making methods and criteria.

 

[Horde_R35]

All the best to Jann but people like Sascha, Carlos, Bruno, Thibault, Arnaud, Lars should be allowed to do this again.

regards, dav


P.S. as an after thought there's two things I didn't mention, I generally try so hard to see fair play I only went to the nationals to try and win it outright and also to try and influence the outcome if I couldn't win it, last year the real fast guys were barged out of races or slipstreamed by slower drivers all over the territories, this year I was hoping it would be better and I wanted to keep an eye on that whilst trying to win it myself. If I found myself ahead of someone who I thought deserved it more I was gonna pull over. The other thing I didn't mention was as a competitor I had the opportunity to cheat influecing the participants since I have being twice offered money to do times for people to qualify for the final. Both times I refused for the sake of the competitions authenticity. I refused £1000 offered by someone that I will never mention because you know him. All for the sake of seeing a fair competition so I REALLY hope there was no funny business in this and I REALLY would like to see a fair explaination of the events and decision making methods and criteria.

The truth always comes out on top sooner or later! Im with you 100% Dave:tup:! Criteria, fixed criteria has been my opinion since the very beginning! Even when whatching the videos many things seem fishy! Youve been there and witness these things and by the respectfull and intelligent person that you are, can only believe in you! Its a shame this competition is all about the brands marketing and their own interests... 👎!





Congrats to everyone but especially our man Bruno ! Good job buddy👍!






EDIT: How you doing Dave?

 

[Timppaq]

The competition is about finding the best guy to the job at hand, in their minds. You know what? That person has been found. Simple as that.

Be sure you understand what you're signing up to.