In just under two months’ time, the online contest portion of 2015’s GT Academy will finish – but everything starts today with the first round of online time trials.
As expected by many, the first test features the Nissan GT-R (R35) NISMO – a 600hp monster version of the famed 4WD performance car – and the Silverstone circuit, home to GT Academy for several years.
GT Academy 2015 – Round 1
- Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit
- Nissan GT-R NISMO
- Gold: 300,000cr; Silver: 150,000cr, Bronze: 50,000cr
On this test, you’ll need to complete a full lap in the fastest time you can – but beware of clipping any of the existing corner markers or the special additional cones as that will instantly fail your lap and bring your session to an end. You may also invalidate your laptimes by exceeding track limits, with Abbey, Luffield, Copse and Stowe corners as particular hotspots, though you’ll be allowed to continue on your way.
If you want to be able to take part in the second round of the GT Academy online competition you’ll need to set at least a Bronze laptime of 2’20.000, but you won’t get very far through GT Academy without trying your hardest and 2’11.000 is the threshold for Gold. We’ve made a quick example video to get you up to speed:
As always, there’s plenty of discussion going on in our dedicated GT Academy forums with hints, tips and more videos from past GT Academy finalists to help you eke out the best laptime!
See more articles on GT Academy 2015.
That thumbnail HNNNGG..
Man I just keep messing up the beginning of this track. I hate silverstone
Is there anywhere to check how many people participate? I’d like to know how I rank against everyone.
I drove an 8+ minute “sighting lap” ;) and registered a time putting me somewhere above 102K this past Friday evening. If that helps.
IIRC the first round last year had 500k entries. Can someone find out if that’s true or not?
I am actually hoping to get the Nismo Note since I am a Versa owner. I saw a video on YouTube showcasing a GT Academy Nismo Note so I really hope I get a chance to drive/acquire one in GT6.
Benelux in.
But no Scandanavia?!
Not happy. Don’t understand this.
I wouldn’t call it Global yet. Still a couple of continents not competing. If it was Global and you won, then you will have a big head afterwards :D Still no news about the FIA Gran Turismo championship though. Only hope of getting recognition since no GT academy here :(
Hope we get to drive a 370 this year!
It started the day i turned 16. That is really good timing. When i get home, i am doing this round. I won’t get far, but it will still be fun to do participate in GT Academy. :)
Love the car, hate this track.
why does everyone hate silverstone? i find it enjoyable, tho sebring and road america are top spots imo
Flat and boring mostly.
Flat and boring… yup. But mostly, for me it’s the decreasing radius turns. These types of turns confound my thumbs to horrid mistakes and easy passing opportunities for those close behind…
well this is one of those technical tracks that has a required rhythm to it, especially the s corners, but other then that im surprised the car doesn’t jerk like 5 feet back at least when the top guy down shifted into 1st immediately, thats freakin impossible to drive like he does.
There other tracks I hate worse but I use a ds3 and like penso said I think that’s my feelings also.
The car is quite understeering; anyway, whith my stick, i’m around 2:10:xx; Have anybody drived the real one? Is it so heavy?
naturally 4wd cars in general tend to be a bit heavy, and yes the nissan gtrs hav generally quite suffered from understeering, ive ridden in one and it does seem a bit heavy but its nt 50/50 ratio wit the drive its more lke 30/70, enough to do burnouts nd sum slides but still grippy
I own a 2007 R35 and can confirm they are known to understeer more then you would think.
Well, so it’s a normal setup for road car (much safer), but with a custom setup, i lowered around a second (1″13), and the car it is not become a crazy horse; by the way, with a stick i’m not on challenge to win GT Academy, but i could do really better even only with the possibility of making a custom setup; i do not win the same.
Make that a 2:07.916 now
2:08.632 this morning after lap 2.. those fast sweepers can make or break the lap.. still not got them right.
From Canada, it works, 2:10. for 7,000th after about an hour into it, T500 wheel no aids, with room for improvement after learning the advanced secrets to this track.
I thought Canadians couldn’t ‘participate’ though we are allowed to play through the rounds & register a position regardless? that’s ok i guess,
Glad you can take part.. I have the T500RS too, no TC etc.. just pulled a 2:07.914 after about 15 laps.. at the point of diminishing returns now though. Not sure how anyone can find another 3 seconds nearly (current record) but guessing extreme precision is required and a finite knowledge of the track. Cheers.
2:08.7 something I clocked up last night. Thinking if I had a new wheel I’d go faster. The DFGT I have is well worn now, 7 years in. But not bothered about getting through was never an alien on this game but can race with the best of them.
I’m admittedly a casual, especially at GTA, but I’ll take a 2:09.422 for 30 minutes of work. Currently 4,346th.
pulled a 2:09.3 with my controller, barely beat my friend who used a wheel, gonna go back on friday with my wheel and try again wen i have more time, cn also see why i dnt make the top times, im fast but nt that way
2:04.321 +0:09.00 – 0:03.04 :)
Grabbed a DS3 (which I absolutely suck with), gold on 1st valid lap (about 4), PS3 turned off. Meh. I like Silverstone but not this car. Is it just me or does the suspension feel like it’s bottoming out all the time?
not tried yet but looks harder then normal TT’s are
managed a 2:10.8xx but will try and improve
2:07.914 after about 2.5 hours
2:06.7
2:08.714 – nearly 4 seconds off :(
Didn’t enjoy that one bit. Just scraped gold. with a 2:10.8 I believe.
Golded it with a time just under 2:10:000
I honestly thought these events would be tougher than that…
The Gold times are manageable for many. Getting into the top 5000? Not so much.
Top 5,000? Thats easy. :) Top 100? Thats impossibru!
Top 5,000 was with my 4th lap this morning just barely getting Gold. Shouldn’t be too difficult honestly even after the masses join in.
I’m with the @sk8er913 though, top 100, different story.
By the cutoff, top 5000 will be a pretty nice achievement.
What is your definition of tough?
I think he means he thought the gold times would be tougher, given that it’s GTAcademy.
So much for not having to race at Silverstone. I was naive to think we wouldn’t have to use that track. At least it’s not on the terrible alternate layouts though
It’s a pretty challenging track, not bad.
In my opinion it’s challenging in the worst way. Much like Fuji. Some of the turns are more awkward than a 17 year old virgin at a brothel
Nice quote Tom Brady, yes I agree, a couple of the sharp/slow corners are tough to nail perfectly every lap.
I have a feeling that the fastest times here will end up around the 2 minute flat mark.
Can’t seem them coming down that much. 2:03.900, would be my prediction for fastest time for round one. And that’s pushing it. Some of these fast guys (not me) can put down stonking times within 20 minutes of trying so big improvements are hard to come by.
Nice quote! yes a couple of the sharp/slow corners are tough to nail perfectly every lap.
Has the gtr nismo academy been added to the dealership?
I’m away and can’t find out right now
No it hasn’t. At least not yet it hasn’t…
Can you win it then?
Not yet.