GT Academy India Finalists Head to Silverstone

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Making it to any GT Academy final is tough enough, but when you’re competing in the newest region of the annual competition with a billion countrymen, it’s a bit more special.

Following a two day trial in Jaipur, six finalists for GT Academy India have been selected to head to the gruelling Race Camp at Silverstone where they’ll face 18 competitors from around the globe for that single Nismo Athlete prize.

gtaindia_2014finalAbhinav Bhat, Abhinay Bikkani, Prakash Nair, Akshay Gupta, Glen Ivan Suchita and Karl Patel came through from a 28-strong qualifier field in virtual and real racing tests, alongside fitness and media challenges to represent the planet’s second most populous nation at Race Camp. Coached by Karun Chandhok, they’ll have to beat finalists from Australia, Thailand, Mexico and the Middle East if they want to secure a racing career. With the six beating a bleep test at 44°C (111°F), the fitness should be little issue!

Showing them what their future could hold at Silverstone today was 2011 winner Jann Mardenborough. Taking a break from press activities at Goodwood and GT Academy, he was racing his Arden International GP3 car at the Silverstone Grand Prix support races and managed to secure both his best qualifying position (5th) and race position (9th, in race 1) of the season, to get off the mark and onto the points table.

Images courtesy Nismo Global.

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Comments (18)

  1. Glen Ivan

    thank you so much guys! @famine, looking forward to seeing you there, and yes, I’ve seen the accomodation at silverstone, I’d choose outdoor showers over a palace any day! super humbled to have a shot at driving those amazing machines! :) will keep you guys posted!

  2. Glen Ivan

    Hey GTP! I am one of the fortunate 6 to have made it! I must say, Nissan outdid themselves, they put us up in a palace and the event was really special! All the journalists there were shell shocked! I’m just really thankful the Academy came to India! and I’m incredibly excited about silverstone!!! XD XD!!! Thank you GTP, the forums helped like crazy!!! :)

    1. Lococurling

      That’s awesome, congratulations for all the finalists. I hope we brazilians can have our chance too. It should be so good make part of this selection. Good luck.

    2. Famine

      You probably won’t be staying in a palace at Silverstone!

      Hopefully we can get along to Race Camp and give you the same coverage we usually give the European competition.

    3. thehobnob97

      Congratulations to Glen Ivan and all of the other finalists. I wish you all the very best luck at Silverstone.

  3. Johnnypenso

    Good luck to all the Indian finalists!!! Love to see broader international participation in the GTA.

  4. dragonspatial

    I would have liked to participate in their Academy, like they do in ours. All I can figure out is that anyone that can participate in academyies outside of their region MUST be HACKERS and they should be BANNED.

  5. Baron Blitz Red

    I’m hoping that with the additions of newer countries like Canada and India into fold, we might have the opportunity of getting some new track locations… it’s not like either country doesn’t have any race tracks! Wishful thinking maybe, but I would welcome more diversity in that sense any day!

    Cheers

  6. SaintSaiya

    Congratulations!! By the way I just remembered something? What happened to “the Drive of your life” slogan that gt used to have?

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