Nicolas Hammann: Behind the Scenes with a GT Academy Champion

The following was written by Nicolas Hammann, the 2014 GT Academy North American champion, as he offers an inside look at the Nissan Driver Development Program which he joined after winning this past season of the competition.

This was written before Nic and his team finished second-in-class at the 24 Hours of Dubai last weekend – we’ll have another behind-the-scenes article with Nic covering that experience soon.

Meanwhile, you can read more updates from his website, or chat with Nic here in the forums.

My experience after winning GT Academy began with a flight home to Charlotte, N.C.. From there I moved all my belongings from the University of North Carolina Charlotte (school I was attending for mechanical engineering) back home with the help of my dad, uncle, and grandpa. From there I spent time with my family, and shared my GT Academy week experience with them (only my immediate family I was able to tell) and got ready for my driver development program in the U.K. starting on September 1st. I had to lie a bit to keep the secret, in Wisconsin I told them I was going back to school in N.C. and at school in N.C. I said I was doing an internship with Nissan in California. I said goodbye to Wisconsin and the United States and flew to the U.K..

I landed and was picked up by an employee of GT Academy and met all the other drivers I would be sharing my driver development program with, Ricardo Sanchez (International GT Academy winner), Gaetan Paletou (Europe’s GT Academy), Marc Gassner (German’s GT Academy winner), and Ahmed Bin-Khanen (Middle East’s GT Academy winner). We moved into our apartment and got settled in.

I picked a name to race under since I couldn’t be announced until the end of the show. The name I decided on was Paul Brown. I picked this name because Paul was a family friend that got me started on Gran Turismo 2 in 1999. Paul loved racing, and won the 2011 World Challenge GTS Championship.That same year he was diagnosed with Melanoma, and in October of 2012 Paul passed away.

Paul taught me a lot about racing growing up, and I felt the least I could do for him was to display his name on the roof of all the cars I raced in the driver development program. So I officially was Paul Brown from that point forward.

Our first few days were filled with getting acclimated to the environment, meeting new people, and getting prepared with our race kits and karting gear. On Wednesday, we officially started. In the morning, we were introduced to our fitness trainer, and he tested us to see our current fitness condition. After that, we got behind the wheel in GT Academy’s simulator running laps on the National circuit in preparation for our race weekend.

The next day, we continued with our fitness program. We reviewed our current eating habits and were given advice on what foods to eat and what to buy. We then went to the gym and continued our fitness testing with different exercises, such as curl ups and pushups. We were all a little tired but still really excited to get on the racetrack the next morning.

On Friday, we got to the track and met the crew from RJN. Everyone was very helpful and did their best to teach us as much as possible. We had a short debriefing and got on track. I enjoyed driving the Nissan 370z Group N car with the sequential box. Throughout the day at the track, I remember having some “realization” moments where I would smile and think, “This is actually happening! I’m living my dream!” For the rest of the day, we ran a couple of sessions and got comfortable with the car and the track in preparation for our first race the next day.

Race day: The following morning we got to the track, and we went through the normal race procedures of attending scrutineering and the driver’s briefing. After getting all signed up and settled in, we got to go out on track for our two qualifying sessions. Charlie, our driving instructor, gave us some tips on how to improve our lap times and a goal for the weekend. After our two sessions, my car was sixth and second in the race. I was slowly getting adjusted to the car, while also trying to apply the information Charlie told me. In the first race, Ricardo had some problems and had to make some unscheduled pit stops because of the front bumper.

Although I was a bit nervous, I was so excited to get in and do my stint. When I got in, I was told to be very careful not to run wide, so I just settled in and tried to push conservatively to the finish. While we finished well down the order, we learned from our experiences to help us improve in the second race. I started the second race in second, behind our teammate. Just before the race began, it started to rain. I was already nervous for the start, but with a fogged up rear and side window, in which I was barely able to see out of the car, I was feeling tense with an adrenaline that was definitely pumping. I got a good start, drove smooth and did not spin or go off track. I pitted in fourth position and with a great pit stop and some great driving by Ricardo, we won the race. After the race, we all went to get our upgrade cards with two signatures on them, making the weekend a success and one step closer to Dubai.

Overall the race weekend was a blast! It was even more awesome that I ever could have thought. While there were low points, like in the first race with us having some problems, there also were highs, like us winning the second race. I learned so much in just that one week that I feel made me a smarter and better driver. While it’s amazing to think of what I’ve learned from all of my experiences so far, two things that come to mind are how to drive a sequential box and how to read Vbox data to improve on the racetrack. The most rewarding experience was driving the car to the pit lane in the second race to switch with Ricardo, because I felt satisfied with my start and confident that we were in a good standing to have a chance at a win.

The next two weeks were busy working on three important aspects of a NISMO athlete: psychological thinking, physical fitness, and speed. On Monday, we met Chris, who introduced us to the psychological side of a racing driver. He showed us the basic concepts of how we function mentally day to day and how perfecting and understanding our minds can increase our performance at the track. It was very interesting, and from that session, I have already picked up certain mental ideas that will help me improve as a driver. After that session, we headed to the gym and completed our first workout on our training program from ProPerformance.

After the workout, we were lucky enough to get behind the wheel again, this time in karts at Daytona for some practice in DMAX karts. This was in preparation for a race we are having in a few weeks. In the first session, it took a little while to get used to the track and the karts, but after a few quick laps, I was enjoying it and running some consistent times. In just a 20-minute session, I definitely learned a lot about positioning the kart and setting up for passes. We packed up all our gear and headed home exhausted, but looking forward to our ARDS test at Silverstone the next day.

The next morning, we got to the track and met Charlie and Brian from The Silverstone Experience. They filled us in on our two sessions, one in the Caterham practicing car control and the other behind the wheel in the Nissan 370z racecars from Race Camp. I went with Charlie first on the International circuit and had a blast running the car. Charlie was so helpful giving me advice on different corners and telling me where I should be braking. After that, I hopped in the Caterham, and the fun continued. I enjoyed sliding and pushing the light car, and more importantly got a little bit more comfortable on recovery and how to feel what the car is doing. We left Silverstone with another signature on our cards. We headed to the gym again, but this time focused more on weightlifting. We finished there and headed home, making sure to rest up for our on track session the next day.

The following morning we headed to the track and met Rob and Charlie. We got on track in the Nissan 370z racecars and began running sessions. Each session we would get valuable feedback that we could directly apply to the next session. By the end of the day, I felt like a completely different driver. I was carrying more speed into the corners, braking harder, and accelerating out of the corners, which all contributed to helping me improve my speed. When we left I was happy with my progress, but I wished we could continue on track.

The next day, we attended the gym in the morning and headed for the doctor’s office for our medical tests. We relaxed the rest of the day, feeling anxious for all the physical challenges that lay ahead with former GT Academy graduates. The next day we worked with the guys from ProPerformance along with Nick and Florian. We went for a bike ride around Silverstone on some unbelievable bikes that I only dreamed of being able to ride, all thanks to Chris Hoy. We worked on some reaction tests and got home early, feeling excited to head to Donington the following day for marshaling and another signature on our upgrade cards. The next day was truly an experience I will never forget.

We arrived at Donington early in the morning and each met our marshal that we would shadow for the day. My marshal, Dave Cameron, truly made my experience a blast! I was at corner one with four other guys, who were also very helpful. They showed me what their job entails, as well as explained in detail the flags. They even let me wave flags for the qualifying session for the British GT Championship! The entire day made me truly appreciate what these fine men and women do on their weekends so that we can enjoy ours on the racetrack

At the end of the day, I picked up my upgrade card with another signature and a step closer to Dubai. Starting the next day, we began our training camp with the previous GT Academy DDP graduates. We started most mornings with circuit training at a nearby park, where we would also play some sporting games such as handball and relay races. In the afternoons we would go biking at Silverstone, work on our reflexes, or go to Milton Keynes gym to play Squash. I never played Squash before, but with some practice, I already feel like I’m getting the hang of it. We also finished out the training camp with the bleep test, which reminded me of high school gym class and the competition there.

Overall, the training camp was the most challenging. Everyday brought forth more challenging tasks and a way to improve my overall fitness. Working with the other graduates was also very rewarding, because it gave us opportunities to ask them many questions being three weeks into our program. On Tuesday, we got back behind the wheel, but this time in GTA’s simulator.

It was a very rewarding session, because, with the help of my driving instructor, I was able to discuss my performance at the PTU and prepare for Saturday’s race. After the simulation session, I went to the gym at Whittlebury Park to work on some cardiovascular fitness. The next two days, we relaxed with a gym session once a day, and some rest, recovering from our training camp and preparing for our race on Saturday.

On Saturday morning, we arrived at the track around 7:15 am, signed on, went to the driver’s briefing and were on track at by nine o’clock. The qualifying session was rather damp, so it was a good session to just settle in, adjust to the Nissan 370z racecar, and get some more laps on the beautiful Silverstone GP circuit. After qualifying, I was third out of the four of us, slightly disappointed in my speed, but happy to see the track drying out a bit. The first race was at 10:50 a.m. and the track remained damp, but traction improved towards the end of the race. I pitted on my third lap and came out with clear open track. While I finished in third out of us four, my times were steadily improving, and my best lap was second quickest. The next race took place after lunch, and by this time the track was completely dry, and I was excited to see how we all would manage the car’s brakes and fuel. The race went green, and I came in again on the third lap to remain on strategy, and I was again able to get nice clear track. I finished third in our group, greatly improving on my times from the morning and running consistently quicker until the last lap when I began having fuel surging issues. We all finished both races and most importantly got our two signatures making our total now equal six. Overall the day was a success, as I learned how to manage the car with its issues, and even though I was not the fastest out of our group, I feel like I learned a great amount and that I am closing the gap to my fellow competitors in speed.

The next Monday we had a simulator session getting prepared for our races for the weekend at Castle Combe and Donington, and I tried to work on getting up to speed quickly. Charlie even commented I did a great job running fast at Castle Combe right away. We then went to the gym in the afternoon and did a weightlifting workout.

On Tuesday we had a test at Silverstone in the 370z GT4 car with the RJN team. The day was a lot of fun, and I learned a great amount about driving the car and how to adjust my driving style to match Alex Bumcombe, the driver who benchmarked the cars. By the end of the day, I was running very consistent times, so I was happy with my progress. I feel like I improved a lot on the shifting with the sequential and also improved in my braking pressure.

Wednesday we did fitness assessments in the morning and dietary lessons in the afternoon as well. I did a much better job on the bicycle, and I was able to do more pushups as well.

On Thursday, we tested at Castle Combe. I enjoyed the track it reminded me a lot of Mid-Ohio with a very club like atmosphere. The test went good, I tried to work on pushing the car quicker in my session and not building up so much. We ran only two sessions to save the car for the race but overall I felt like I got more comfortable and familiar with the track for Saturday. Friday, we had off so we went to the gym. I did a cardio workout, and we left for Castle Combe for the hotel in the afternoon.

Saturday started out wet. Our first two qualifying sessions, we ran wet tires and I couldn’t believe the amount of grip proper rain tires have. I felt like superman on track, and was passing a lot of cars. I still was very careful out on track making sure to just get the session in and on to the races. The first race was dry and we ran on slicks. This was a good experience of how to warm up sticker tires and have them warm for corner one. Geoff, my lead engineer, told me how to build heat by turning them over, braking a lot, and accelerating through the corners on my warm-up lap and I was able to get a decent start and find a groove. I had a nice battle with a Caterham racecar and on the last lap was able to get by. I finished 3rd overall.

The second race I did the same thing with my tires, but this time I felt like I truly got them nice and warm. I lined up and as soon as the lights went out my tires were spinning I lifted to reduce wheel spin and stalled. I got the engine fired again, but got rear ended and broke my exhaust. Even with the bad start I had the best racing experience so far. I learned how to work through traffic and pass a lot of cars. I was up to third when I saw the meatball flag and knew I was too loud. I came in and was unable to finish. Bob and Rob tried fighting to get me out again but could not. Since I did not finish I therefore did not get a signature. I was very frustrated with myself, but learned an enormous amount from the experience. I learned that if that situation ever happens again I need to back off, and just cruise around making sure to run quiet enough. I also learned a lot about navigating traffic and how to pass cars quickly and effectively.

Sunday we were at Donington Circuit for a Mazda race. I knew I had to be extra careful and make sure to get my two signatures. The first race went good. I couldn’t believe how crazy these people drive. They all drove way over their heads and it was rather hard to stay out of trouble. I ended up starting near the back around 32nd and was able to pass a lot of cars and finish in 24th, so I was happy. The second race, I struggled again with my start, and fell back into the back markers for corner one. I then got nailed in my right door, by someone who overshot their brake marker in corner one, swerved to miss someone else but hit me. From that point on I just focused on finishing the race, and getting my two signatures. This brought my total up to 9 signatures so far.

I was very frustrated again with my performance but learned from both days I need to work on my standing starts. I do not have any experience with standing starts and did not do any drag racing growing up, so I mentioned to Charlie and Rob that I need to work on this and at Bedford we addressed this. Both days my starts caused me to be put in the back with scrappy drivers who are back there for a reason and ruined both my races.

I feel like I greatly improved in my speed and performance on track, but the small things like standing starts are holding me back.

The next day we had media training and I had a blast. I practiced my presentation throughout the week, and felt confident. Our instructor, Steve Deeks said, “I did a great job and improved a lot from the previous session.” We talked about using microphones as well as interviews, and how to answer questions. We then went to BBC radio in Northampton and did interviews there. I told the person I need to be called Paul Brown, but he said that would be illegal and to not worry about it. The interview went well and I enjoyed the time on the air.

On Tuesday we went to Bedford and did car control in Caterhams and I had a lot of fun, we worked on starts as well and after that day I felt a lot more confident with starts, controlling a car in a slide, and also recovering from a slide.

On Wednesday we went down to Surrey, which is around 90 miles away, to Pro Performance and worked out with our trainers. The day was a lot of fun. We did a sim session in the morning checking our heart rate’s in the car and did some training in the afternoon. It was definitely fun working out in a new environment.

Thursday, we had off, so we decided to go to Silverstone and run sessions on the simulator in the NISMO lab. It was nice because we could run and practice Dubai, which I was never on before. The track was a lot of fun and I cannot wait to race there in January.

Friday, we met Charlie in the morning and ran Snetterton, a new track for us on the sim, and in the afternoon we were able to get out on track with the 350z racecar on the international circuit for a few laps. It was definitely a challenge from running on a sim all morning and then hopping in a real car, it took a while to adjust.

Saturday we had karting at Whilton Mill, which was a lot of fun and also a great experience. The weather was rainy and damp, so I learned a lot about driving karts in the rain.

Sunday we had off, so we went to the gym, and I went for a nice run outside, while the weather was still nice.

On Monday, we had media training which was also a lot of fun. In the morning we went to the UTC at Silverstone and talked with the kids which was really a great experience to share my stories and experiences with them. In the afternoon we did some presentations and a car walk around in the pits to work on using a microphone in a noisy condition. Also that night we had a karting test at Daytona near Milton Keynes. It was raining and therefore the track was wet, but our 40 minutes in the karts was a blast and a truly enjoyable time!

The next day we did some sim training at Snetterton and also Donington, we had a chimp management session with Chris talking about how to improve mentally on track, and we also went to the gym. Over lunch we did another short presentation with Steve Deeks at the BRDC, for his guests.

Over the last few weeks we did more media projects, and with all these experiences I feel greatly improvement in how I present myself. I really enjoy presenting and sharing my story with groups of people.

On Wednesday, we had a complete fitness day. We started off in the gym warming up on an elliptical, then doing some upper body exercises such as pull ups and tricep dips. We then did some rowing, hopped on a bike for 10 km, and finished with a core workout. Right after this, we went to the innovation center and worked on our reflexes with the batak wall. We did a few 1 minute challenges and then teamed up with a partner for intervals on the wall. After this we had lunch and then went to a gym close to our apartment for some squash and swimming. The day was a lot of fun, and a different change of pace than just running or weightlifting.

The next day we went to Donington to test the GT4 cars. That morning we also received our new helmets. The American flag looks very nice with the Nissan colors. The test went very well. The track was damp in the morning, so I was very careful, making sure to get up to speed safely and not running off. The next session the track was dryer and we could run on dry tires, so the grip was much better and I was getting more comfortable with the car. Then after lunch we had one final session. I watched data with Rob and Charlie and was able to learn a lot about where I could gain time. I went out and pushed the car and was happy with my overall pace. We then packed up for the day and headed back to Milton Keynes.

On Friday, we worked with Dan again on our fitness. We went to a park nearby Silverstone where we worked on reactions, and some cardio. After that we went back to the innovation center and worked on the batak wall. By the end of the session I was getting 115 scores on it for 1 minute. I was very happy with the progress I made from the assessment we had the week prior, where I couldn’t even get 100. After that we talked with Dan about our fitness assessment results and he was very happy with how I was doing and the results I am seeing. That night Ahmed and I drove to Donington and stayed overnight there so the next morning we would be there for our MX5 race.

Saturday at Donington, we signed on and went out to qualify in damp conditions. The qualifying session went good. The car was very loose in the wet track, so it was a great experience of controlling the car in a slide, and knowing how hard to push without sliding or being out of control in the tricky conditions. I qualified in the b race, and was excited to practice the information I learned about standing starts. The start went good. I was able to stay on the inside and get through turn one without getting tagged or losing many positions. The race I was very careful making sure to get my signature and finish the race. After that race, I was at 10 signatures and was one step closer to Dubai.

Sunday, we raced again, this time at Silverstone on the International Circuit. Gaetan and I were in the Group N cars while Ricardo and Ahmed were in the GT4 cars. The first qualifying session was damp, but I was running right with Gaetan on track. It was fun because we both were sliding around, and I would gain a bit in some sections and he would gain a bit back in others. The two races were in the afternoon, and by then the track was dry. The first race a Volvo spun right in front of me so I had to go to the grass to avoid so I lost a bit of time to the leaders but after getting on track was able to get up to speed and run around a second quicker lap times to Gaetan. The second race was uneventful and I just made sure to finish the race and get the signature. After that race, we had all 12 signatures. As soon as I got out of the car Bob had me sign the entry form for Dubai so it was very special.

On Monday we drove JPLM cars working on defending and passing at Bedford, and we had media training in the afternoon. The driving was very fun. I was able to pass Rob in the first session, but when I got ahead I had the tendency to overdrive a bit. The second session I defended and kept the car behind but was a little too defensive, taking defensive lines when I didn’t really need to. We head back there tomorrow so I know how and what I need to work on. In the afternoon the Media training went very well. Steve helped me develop my two minute intro speech script. We watched a lot of last week’s presentations and critiqued how we did. It was very interesting watching myself talk to people. I definitely learned a great amount about what I did well and what I need to work on.

Tuesday we went to the Altitude Center in London. This was with Dan, our trainer. We basically went into a room with the oxygen equivalent of being at 2700m. We biked in the morning and did circuit training in the afternoon. It was a lot of fun, and I really enjoyed it. The second bike session in the morning was very tough, but I believe it was a great experience!

The next day we worked on consistency. We ran on the simulator in the morning at Dubai with the Nissan GTR GT3 car, for a 20 minute session running a certain time. Then in the afternoon we went and ran the Nissan 350Z GT4 on the International Circuit, also running for 35 min at a specific time. The sim went really well. Rob, my instructor was very happy with how I was able to run those times, smoothly and being very gentle with the car. In the real car as well I was also able to run consistently within the required time. It started to rain so I was called in early at around 30 minutes. I was very happy with how the day went and I feel like I gained more confidence running consistently in the car.

On the 23rd of October, we tested karts at Daytona in Milton Keynes, and went for a running session at a park nearby with Marten from ProPerformance. The karting went extremely well. My kart was really quick, and I was 2 seconds faster than the other guys. We did 40 minutes in the kart with a break in the middle. The afternoon running session went really well. We ran around 6km, but did different things in between like planks, push ups, lunges, and sprints. The park was very beautiful and I enjoyed the workout.

The next day, we went to Bedford and practiced in the Caterhams and JPLM prototype cars. We did one session in the Caterhams and after 20 minutes we were called in and headed to the south circuit for overtaking practice. In these sessions we went out with two prototype cars and practiced overtaking and defending. Christian said I improved a lot from last time, but still have some things to work on in regards to the track, turning in later on the last corner, and not getting on the power too soon in the slower corners. We had two on-track sessions in the JPLMs and then it started to rain so we stopped for the day. We then headed to the gym and I did the cardio workout.

On Saturday we had karting with Club100 at Rye House. The race was 2 hrs and 15 minutes long. I was teamed up with Gaetan and Paul for the endurance race. I liked the track a lot, but after a team member got black flagged in his first stint, we were a bit behind from that point. We finished well down the order but I learned a lot about overtaking on this track and how to drive fast around the circuit. In the sprint races in the afternoon I qualified 13th in the A race, and I finished 9th in the first race and 11th in the second so for my overall points I was 10th. This was a lot of fun. The races definitely helped my decision making and I feel like my awareness of things around me has greatly improved from karting.

On Sunday we had karting again at Rye House. This was in a lower class, so we all hoped for a good result. Ricardo and Gaetan had sprint races in the morning so we just waited and watched. The race started and Paul did very well. We were running in the top three in our class, when a team member got black flagged again for rough driving. My two stints went very well and I had a lot of fun. My times were the fastest of the team, so I felt pretty confident in my lines around the track.

Monday we were back at Bedford working on overtaking, this time with three cars. The session went really well, and I feel like my racecraft has greatly improved. I definitely feel a lot more comfortable racing close to cars, and setting up for passes, and making the pass. The extra car gave another dimension because you also had to work on defending, while still trying to overtake. Christian said I did a good job, but I still look a bit in my mirrors too much. I also downshift too soon, so I need to brake a bit more before downshifting to lessen the engine revs. In the afternoon we worked on speed. We each went out and did flying laps trying to run the fastest. I had the quickest times in both cars, so I was very happy. I feel like over the last few weeks my speed has greatly improved. After that we went to the gym at Whittlebury Hall.

On Tuesday we had a chimp, sim, and gym day. I had sim in the morning and we ran one hour long stints in the car. Rob picked a time we needed to hit so it was all about being consistent and hitting the time. At the end of the stint I was drenched in sweat but Rob was happy with how I did. We also practiced talking on the radio during the stint as well. I then had a chimp session with Chris talking about the last few weeks, and finishing off the DDP. Gaetan and I went to the gym in the afternoon with Andy from ProPerformance. At the gym we did interval training on the bikes, weight lifting, core workouts, and also a workout on the rowing machine. That night we headed to Snetterton to the hotel in preparation for the GT3 test.

The next two days were the highlight of the entire DDP. Getting to drive the GT3 car for the first time is something I will never forget. The amount of grip, power, and braking the car has is astounding. We first ran 6 lap stints and the first session I was quite slow getting used to the car, but by the end of the 3rd session I was very comfortable and running quick times. We had three 6 laps sessions on Tuesday, and on Wednesday we went out in the morning on rains because the track was damp, and ran 6 laps. Even in the wet the car had so much grip, it was a blast to drive. We then waited around till the afternoon when the track dried up. I did a 17 lap stint, and enjoyed every single minute of it. My times were consistent and my last lap was the fastest. Bob was very pleased with how we did, and I cannot wait until Dubai to get back in the car. I cannot put into words how much I enjoyed driving the car, and cannot thank you all enough for giving me this opportunity.

On Friday we had fitness assessments. I was a little nervous, because I am still recovering from a cold, but overall thought it went well and am looking forward to seeing the results.

Saturday was our final race at Donington in the GT4 cars. The day qualifying at 10 am went well, and Ahmed and I qualified behind Gaetan and Ricardo, 5th in class, 10th overall. We then had a break until the night practice at 5pm. The night practice was a great experience to learn how different driving is at night, and to prepare for the race. I started the race and tried to stay with Ricardo. I got a good run on a BMW and went to his inside and was right by his door when he turned into me. He ended up spinning and I went to the grass to avoid him but was able to continue not losing much time and positions. After that a safety car came out and we all were bunched up again. We went green and I was following a car in front past another slower car, when the slower car turned right into my door. I cannot believe how clueless people drive at night. I was very frustrated with myself for the first incident but the second one the guy shouldn’t be racing. The first incident I should have been more cautious, and waited to pass. After the second incident I had to come in and get a new left front and was sent back out. I then was able to get into a nice rhythm and finish off the last 15 minutes of my stint cleanly. I came in and gave the car off to Ahmed. He finished the race 5th in class. I drove home and the entire drive I replayed both instances over and over again. I learned so much from the 45 minute stint, that I feel will help so much for Dubai. I learned how in endurance racing you have to drive very very defensive and need to change the mindset immensely from the racing I have done so far.

The last week and a half was a blast but like normal racing, I had highs and lows. Driving the GT3 car was awesome and such a high, but the GT4 race at Donington was definitely a low point. I know in Dubai we will have a lot of traffic both faster and slower, so the night race was a great learning experience that will help carry me forward.

I flew home on Tuesday, and was looking forward to watching the first episode on Friday with my family. I was taken to the airport on Tuesday, and said goodbye to my teammates and headed to my flight. I arrived home around 4pm and was met by my parents at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago.

After arriving home the training for Dubai continued. I joined a local gym that I could do my workout routine at, I set up my racing simulator at my grandparents house, and I started working on a personal website. I had to be very careful not to be seen by anyone besides my family because everyone else thought I was at school in N.C.. By the end of the first week, I had a nice routine down. I would do my workout in the morning, come home eat lunch, and then go by my grandparents in the afternoon to race and to work on my website. On Friday night I enjoyed watching the first episode of GT Academy with my family but was somewhat sad to think in the U.K. I woke up everyday excited to drive everyday, now back home I didn’t get to drive anything on track until Dubai in January.

The following weeks I continued working out. My weekly schedule consisted of a weightlifting program on Monday with a 5km run, a cardio day on Tuesday, a 5km run on Wednesday, a weightlifting and 5km day on Thursday, a cardio day on Friday, and I finished the week off with a 32 mile bike ride on Saturday. Sunday was my day off. I continued to run one hour long stints at Dubai on my simulator with a GT3 car against equal GT3 cars, and also slower GT4 cars in preparation for dealing with traffic. Luckily for me the weather in Wisconsin was very mild and I was able to run and bike outside. Normally my workouts would take around 2.5 hours.

I received a lot of text messages after the first episode of GT Academy and couldn’t really say too much about the show. My parents and I watched the second episode and again I received Facebook messages, and texts that kept me busy for an hour after the show.

It took me a long time to adjust back to reality from living the dream in the driver development program. Like I said before in the driver development program I was getting to do things I could only imagine, and now back at home all I had was a racing simulator. I enjoyed being back home with my family, but could not wait until Dubai.

Thanksgiving came and I was able to make an appearance at home (because of Thanksgiving break at school) and I enjoyed sharing the experiences I could with family and friends. Once Monday came back into hiding I went. I was getting closer to finishing up my website, and enjoyed the improvement in my simulator training.

In the second week of December my uncle, dad, and family friend went to the Performance Racing Industry Show in Indianapolis. Here we looked at all kinds of performance parts, and cars. I was able to meet Randy Pobst, and discuss with him endurance racing. I enjoyed a mini vacation from the normal routine, and enjoyed watching the 5th episode of GT Academy, especially the stock car race. We came home on Saturday night, and the week before the finale was filled with a continue in my training program, putting final touches on my website, and preparing for a hectic Friday night.

Friday night came and I enjoyed watching the final episode with my family. I received so many messages, emails, and texts that I cannot thank everyone enough for all their support. The kind words and motivation I received during those few days after gave me the push to workout even harder the last few weeks for Dubai. On the Saturday after my family had a little get together for family and close friends and it was amazing being able to tell the truth and share all my experiences with everyone.

The next week was filled with getting ready for Christmas and training hard before my departure to Dubai. It was tough turning away Christmas cookies, and not taking an extra helping of Grandma’s signature sweet potatoes, but just remembering how amazing getting to drive the GT3 GTR felt, was enough motivation.

After Christmas I got prepared for my trip and flight on the 28th. I packed all my belongings the night before, said goodbye to family and friends, and did some filming for GT Academy at home. My parents and I woke up around 4am. They gladly drove me to the airport and wished me good luck! I hopped on the plane in Chicago and began the journey to Dubai! Excited to get back behind the wheel!

I cannot thank my family and friends enough for all their support. My parents especially for supporting all my dreams and putting up with me the last few months at home! I wouldn’t be were I am without them, and am looking forward to what 2015 holds! Also I want to thank NISSAN and GT Academy, they granted all my wishes and it just shows that with determination, hardwork, and speed a 21 year old kid from Elkhart Lake, WI with a big dream can turn that dream into a reality!

See more articles on GT Academy 2014 and Nicolas Hammann.