Jann Mardenborough got the Nismo Athletes’ season underway with a three race round of the European Formula 3 series at Monza.
Heading into the event as a rookie – and one of two Carlin drivers not eligible to win constructor points – he qualified himself in 18th place on the 30 car grid, just 0.9s down on the lead car. For the majority of the first race he ran as part of a pack of four drivers, entertaining the crowds with overtaking until, running in twelfth, he was tangled up in Lucas Wolf’s accident on lap 17 with the crash damage retiring the car.
Sunday’s races were much damper affairs – as Jann is used to at Monza. Keeping out of trouble for the 14 lap second race, Jann pulled himself from 17th on the grid (again, only 1.1s down) to 11th overall at the flag. Race 3 went much the same way, but was red-flagged after 8 laps in monsoon conditions after Jann had grabbed seven positions in eight laps.
Jann currently sits 16th in the table, just outside the points, with round two on home soil at Silverstone on 12th-14th April.
Meanwhile three other Nismo Athletes have had their 2013 car unveiled.
First GT Academy winner Lucas Ordoñez, 2013 US winner Steve Doherty and long-term Academy codriver Alex Buncombe have seen their nismo.tv Youtube branded Nissan GT-R revealed. Ordoñez and Buncombe will be campaigning the car in FIA GT this season, while Doherty joins them for the Blancpain Endurance Series.
The sponsorship ties in with Nissan Motorsports’ launch of the nismo.tv Youtube channel to showcase Nissan’s racing efforts around the world in 2013 – including the Nismo Athletes. One for the bookmarks for all GT Academy fans!
See more articles on European Formula 3, FIA GT, Jann Mardenborough, Lucas Ordonez, and Steve Doherty.
Youtube sponsor ………. Wonder if GT6 will have straight to youtube gameplay videos as the PS4 will be social focused.
First picture, thumbnail, looked like aeriel atom race lol
Man, I can’t wait for the 2013 FIA GT Series!!! GT Academy winners going against the Sebastien Loeb. Bring it on Nissan vs. McLaren :D
Wow, amazing, congrats Jann!!
How can you watch formula 3 in England? I have sky sports and ESPN. Is it on any of those. Love watching GP2/3, assume it’s be reasonably similar racing to those.
Motors TV UK shows some alternative racing, not sure about Formula 3 though… Give it a try ;-)
I do often watch the odd endurance race on Motors TV, or ESPN America.
That Nismo YouTube GT-R actually looks pretty cool, I just wish Nissan made something more sporty or more super then the GT-R. I mean don’t get me wrong, the car is technologically and mechanically good. The car just doesn’t look or feel like a supercar though. Just look at it on the track against all the other super and/or sports cars, it looks so big and boxy compared to them. It’s taller, over all larger, and lacks any sleekness composited to Ferraris and Astons and Mercedes and so on and so on. I wish the would just scrap the whole Skyline GT-R deal and start over with a new, sleeker, sexier car. The Datsun 240z looked good, if Nissan used styling like they did there the could make something the size of other super cars and it would look like one to. That would be nice, but yeah, that livery looks surprising good for a YouTube sponsored car, lol.
That’s the beauty of the GT-R. The fact that it looks like a toaster compared to your typical Ferrari or Lambo makes it’s performance that much more epic.
I love the GT-R …especially the V-Spec. BUT …I do agree with you on one thing and that is “…just scrap the whole Skyline GT-R deal and start over …” …and that about where it ends. Instead of a sleeker, sexier GT-R, I would like them to return to the traditional shape and spirit of the GT-R …as incarnated in the R31, R32, R33 and R34. We are talking something in the Audi A5/BMW 4-Series coupe league here but with the traditional BRUTAL, mean and bully-boy like look of previous Skyline GT-Rs. The R35, as much as I love it, has to go. Replace it with something else entirely which, as you wish, will be “sleeker and sexier”. Its just that for me the GT-R as a concept is everything that the R35 is not. It should be a 4 seater, 2 door coupe with JDM styling …end of story. But that is just my preference and it has nothing to do with Jann …whom I wish the best of luck. Looks like Nissan/PD could have uncovered quite a talent here.
The R35 is the GT-R and other than the 2014 Track edition (non race model) it has rear seats. The design philosophy is just Nissans way of separating themselves from the masses, daring to be different.
Skyline classification is now appointed to the Infiniti G37 Coupes/Sedan.
*It should be a 4 seater, 2 door coupe with JDM styling* Dont quite understand that statement.
*That’s the beauty of the GT-R. The fact that it looks like a toaster compared to your typical Ferrari or Lambo makes it’s performance that much more epic.* Right on my friend.
Japanese domestic market (JDM) refers to the local market in Japan for Japanese-made motor vehicles and components.
Haha the funny thing is you say jdm but the car was designed by VW .. Don’t Beleave me look it up
^ Yeah well that Quote I put up there is a definition about JDM cars not neccessarily about the GT-R design origin.
ktmracer1162 your statement is most likely wrong please dont make false comments without supplying proof to back your claim read the Acceptable Use Policy.
Interesting discussion guys. The R35, like it’s predecessors, is based on a 2+2 design. Like the 2+2 M3s from BMW, they look larger and more gangly than their rivals. Consider the alternative? Where the entries must fit in a box? Daytona Prototype… NASCAR? Yeesh!
Nissan does have the Z34 and BMW has the Z3… but they don’t get the upper class assignments where 600+ horse power is needed.
Funny how things work out.
I can’t give you a website but I’m sure it’s out there somewhere and euro car magizine and vw tuner there were articles in there about it and Jeremy was talking about it on top gear so there’s your fact and you can shove that false comment up your sarcastic ass
Yeah we have seen your type before, always the same lack of proof but an overobnoxious defensive mentality when confronted.
You dont even know what you read or saw. The GT-R is a Nissan groundup design. Theres no proof this was a global initiative between the 2 Autogroups, and VW is a Partner with Porsche which would seem a conflict of interest seeing as GT-R (R35) and the 997 Porsche are on track and Market adversaries.
Why do you think Nissan separated the GT-R badge from the Skyline ?
Oh thats right you didn’t think…
I have to agree. The r32-34 designs were te best. The gtr is too mainstream for the “legend” that Godzilla really is, ktm. Cool comment, no evidence, put crew hit the nail on the head, r36 might be better, but who knows, why waste time thinking about it. Nissans got this. Lol it’s NISSANS car..
Cool, open wheels. Want more of those in GTx.
my boy has got some serious ‘teknique’
It’s really inspiring to see these guys go from a racing sim to the real thing and perform really well from the start of their racing careers. Jann has some serious talent if he can pass that many cars in the wet (without incident) in such a short race.
Wow… impressive indeed. JAN THE MAN! Jan The Man. Jan the man… dadadadadadadadada, JAN THE MAN!!! God, keep them safe out there.
All this press for these exceptional gamers turned racers is incredible, talk about finding talent in the most unlikely of places. Now I seriously hope PD has those GTR’s for GT6 because they look Boss! That kid Jann is amazing, I can’t wait to see how far he goes with his career, good luck to the other GT Academy grads as well, hope they all attain successes.
Kaz I sure hope you don’t forget to include the cars the Academy drivers pilot during their seasons, heck add that racing league and cars to GT6.
The most under-appreciated series/cars in GT5 are open wheel racers. The two Ferrari F1s and the GT version are some of the best cars in the game, mostly because how closely they resemble the real things. Even though I haven’t driven those types of cars in real life, from the sound of their engines to the way they look and handle, the game versions very much resemble the real ones.
I’d love for PD/Sony to work on a standalone F1/open wheel (Indy, F3, etc) racing game. They should include all manufacturers and race tracks used for the series.
The biggest weakness of GT5, however, I think is the rally racing. It just doesn’t feel as good as past GT games.
^ Ok but whats that got to do with the news about Jann Lucas and Steve Doherty. You take every news thread based on one story and turn it into a GT5 wishlist. Just try and stay on topic for once….
Kaz did try and put together a Standalone F1 series, the story was featured here on gtplanet lastyear in which he explained that and the reasons (some) he wasn’t successful. Do some research.
I like this pit crew guy, seems real, to the point, no bs. Just what gt planet needs more of instead of under opinionated conplainees. Jam. You have full support from a strong community,
I’d love to have that Youtube GTR in-game! It’s absolutely awesome!
I love news like these, right on guys! :D That GT-R with the Youtube livery on it. So awesome looking. :)
“Insert theme music from Classic Batman series” Jann the Man dadadadadadadada Jann the Man dadadadada Jann the Man dadadadada Jann the Man dadadadada Jann the Man Jann the Man Jann the Man. LOL Good job and keep on striving.
I’ve never seen a car sponsored by YouTube before lol.
Congratulations…
But let’s not forget that .9 is a LOOOONNNGGGG time behind….. Good job though for him though!!
Did better then either of us obviously,
Nice! Good luck to them in their upcoming events!
Nice to have this place for GT Academy driver news all in one place throughout the coming season. :)
YouTube sponsorship eh? Interesting.
Congrats to all the drivers!
Crongrats :). My dream for GT Academy is that they support GT500 and V8 Supercar NISSAN :).
Good on ya, Jann :) and good luck to the rest of the guys.