GT Academy Racing Updates & News

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We can't forget that Jann isn't a Russian teen with a billion dollar backer. Nissan and the team behind him must've felt that this is the next step on the pathway to their open-wheel aspirations.

IIRC there's a couple of drivers on the past/current F1 grid that didn't set the junior formulae alight but once they got closer to F1 they started to come into their own.

Hopefully the WSBR test went well and we'll see Jann rip it up against some F1 development drivers in that series next year!

EDIT: Impressive times from Jann - http://wsr.alkamelsystems.com/

Oh and if it wasn't news on the GT Academy facebook page already the first Russian Academy graduate will be getting a drive in an LMP2 - http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/110770


Exciting times ahead for everyone!
 
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We can't forget that Jann isn't a Russian teen with a billion dollar backer. Nissan and the team behind him must've felt that this is the next step on the pathway to their open-wheel aspirations.
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Unless they're doing it to keep him "match fit" over the winter now the regular racing season is over.
 
Testing times can be misleading, and they can be all over the place because of differing programs. Guys who struggle ordinarily can look quite good sometimes (Zoel Amberg in this case). I wouldn't get too excited.

That said, it seems like Mardenborough ran quite well, perhaps his P2 experience helped him adapt to the powerful high downforce car. Hopefully this test was run only to give him more experience (which he clearly lacks compared to his peers) and he goes back to Euro F3 for another season. Being promoted to FR3.5 after finishing 22nd in Euro F3 would be a bit of a joke.
 
If Jann finds the FR3.5 car easier than F3 then why not? Better to race in a series you feel you can be more competitive in than spend several seasons trying to fight with a car that doesn't suit you.
I agree that its better to gain some more experience at F3 level first, but what if Jann has found the FR3.5 easier? Wouldn't it make more sense to gain experience driving something that he's more competitive in?

This is of course an assumption on my part that he's more comfortable in the FR3.5 car. Maybe he finds that harder. Its just I don't necessarily agree that every driver has to take the exact same route through motorsport, even considering experience.
 
Not surprised. I'm guessing they're keeping their options open for next year. Might even spring a surprise result or two in front of the F1 bosses who might be hanging around after the Grand Prix if Jann's quick?
 
The RJN FIA GT3 team is not on the entry list for the season ending Baku World Challenge.They are currently 2nd in points only 16 behind.
 
IforceV8
They are not listed on the FIA entry list http://www.fiagtseries.com/images/r...s_-_Provisional_Starting_Entry_List_29Oct.pdf
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Would've helped if the official entry list was posted before I replied lawl.

Don't quote me on this but wasn't the Baku World Challenge recently added to the calendar? If that's the case the RJN boys aren't racing because of contracts signed earlier stating they will only do x number of races; not x+1...similarly it could just be a formality and RJN is yet to file their entry?
 
From Jan.10th press release

1st April: Nogaro, France
21st April: Zolder, Belgium
14th July: Zandvoort, Netherlands
18th August: Slovakia Ring, Slovakia
13th October: Navarra, Spain
16th or 23rd November: Middle East (date and location to be confirmed)
 
IforceV8
From Jan.10th press release

1st April: Nogaro, France
21st April: Zolder, Belgium
14th July: Zandvoort, Netherlands
18th August: Slovakia Ring, Slovakia
13th October: Navarra, Spain
16th or 23rd November: Middle East (date and location to be confirmed)
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I'd imagine the story with what the RJN guys are up to with the GT Academy team is still the same regardless.
 
Jann under 6 tenths off the time set by a podium finisher on the first day of testing - www.gp3series.com/News/2013/11_November/Stoneman-sets-the-pace-in-AbuDhabi-morning-test-session/ - good enough for 6th place.

BYScvPvIIAAzL5o.jpg:large

twitter.com/GP3_Official

As pointed out earlier testing times can be misleading but I can't help but think that Nissan will definitely move Jann up a category next year. I guess only time will tell whether it's going to be GP3 or FR3.5 (maybe both depending on Nissan's budget?). In any case I hope this opens up the pathway for the other/future GT Academy graduates to go the open wheel route too.
 
Saidur_Ali
Good to see Jann doing so well: Final day of GP3 post-season testing

I wonder if the type of gearbox might help Jann be more competitive in these higher categories. Hopefully he gets a seat in one of the top teams.
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Good old Gran Turismo and GT Academy teaching gamers all over the world how to find that extra tenth to go faster :lol:. A bit strange how they keep spelling his name wrong in those reports though.

About the gearboxes; I thought the F3 car he drove this season had flappy paddles? In any case I remember talking to a few Toyota Racing Series drivers when Jann was here in NZ and they said they only bother with the clutch during the start and just bang the gears in with the sequential stick for the rest of the race so I can't imagine that to be the sole reason for his pace in that championship. It's more likely to be the feel of the car on the limit relative to what Jann's used to?
 
I tweeted Jann the other day asking why he didn't do Macau f3 and he said he was concentrating on next year after a successful gp3 test so I would imagine that's the route he will be going down.
 
DBY___86
I tweeted Jann the other day asking why he didn't do Macau f3 and he said he was concentrating on next year after a successful gp3 test so I would imagine that's the route he will be going down.
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Looks like Jann will be heading here in New Zealand during the European winter to race in the Toyota Racing Series again - http://www.toyotaracing.co.nz/british-racer-returns-to-tackle-2014-toyota-racing-series/ - will be interesting to see how he does this time around after a full year of open-wheel racing under his belt...and I'm just at home not doing anything too exciting during the university break... :(

1489289_633656320029618_1940129901_n.jpg
 
Chasing hard in the rain (Teretonga, Invercargill)

1TM0217-DENIS-KORNEEV-770x514.jpg



Dat livery (Timaru)

46435_487584894683862_2049276965_n.jpg


In the lead! (Timaru)

1613924_487585281350490_1888674490_n.jpg



Not strictly a GT Academy photo but thought this photo of Neil Alberico had a certain charm to it (Timaru)

1012036_487584998017185_867076083_n.jpg
 
Bryan will be driving the Skull Candy Nissan Altima in the Continental Tire series race at Daytona this weekend. 👍
 
Good to see Jann stepping up this year after only a year of racing single seaters, should keep his F1 ambitions alive. His first pole with win in single seaters I believe in first race at Hampton Downs. More importantly, Mardenborough accelerates to championship lead.

We all know real reason why Jann is doing better than last year though, the livery looks much better and having both NISMO and TRD on same race car gives an unfair advantage :P.
 

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