Nissan and MBC Action bring the experience of GT Academy to the region’s TV screens

Nissan Middle East announced today that its international GT Academy competition will be brought to the TV screens of the GCC and Levant every Sunday starting from November 2^nd through MBC Action at 22:30 KSA time. 

Viewers will be able to experience the challenges and rewards of competing in this unique competition as 6 of the Middle East’s best racing game players go head-to-head against other international competitors for the ultimate prize and for becoming professional race drivers behind the wheel of a 370Z. 

"GT Academy demonstrates Nissan’s belief in delivering innovation and excitement in everything we do – the programme is both unique and thrilling. Wherever it is run in the world, GT Academy’s selection process and driver development programme has produced genuinely fast racing drivers," said Samir Cherfan, Managing Director, Nissan Middle East. "We are delighted to announce that the audience in the Middle East will be able to experience this successful programme through MBC action and we are hoping that a lot of fans will be encouraged to enroll in our 2015 edition of GT Academy." 

Over a course of six days, the competitors were put through their paces both on and off track at the UK’s Silverstone circuit. They enjoyed some of the best racing instruction and mentoring in the world in a range of Nissan cars, including the mighty GT-R, the 370Z Nismo and 370Z race cars. Each group formed a close bond with their territory judge, who acted as a mentor, but then had to make the difficult decisions when it came to eliminations from the competition. 

Now viewers across the Middle East have the opportunity to share in this experience, join in the spirit of the competition and get to know the winner as four hour-long episodes are to be shown at the following times:                                   

Four episodes of GT Academy will run on MBC Action starting from November 2^nd, every Sunday for four weeks

Timing: 22:30 KSA time

Episode 1: 2^nd November

Episode 2: 9^th November

Episode 3: 16^th November

Episode 4: 23^rd November 

Rerun date and time: (KSA time)

Thursdays: at 12:30 and 21:30

Sundays: at 7:45

Tuesdays: at 9:30

GT Academy background

GT Academy is collaboration between PlayStation^® and Nissan that uses the virtual world of the Gran Turismo^® game to unearth real-world racing talent. Now in its sixth year, GT Academy has been expanded to include separate competitions in Germany, USA, Russia as well as the traditional pan-European competition.         

From racing online, the fastest Gran Turismo gamers can progress to national or regional Finals and if good enough onto Race Camp to compete against the best gamers to see who can make the jump from Virtual to Reality.

Previous winners of GT Academy are now regular racing drivers. In 2012 Lucas Ordoñez (Spain, winner in 2008) contested the European Le Mans Series and Le Mans 24 Hours in the Greaves Motorsport Nissan-powered LMP2 car; Jordan Tresson (France, winner in 2010) contested the FIA World Endurance Championship and Le Mans 24 Hours in the Signatech Nissan LMP2 car; Jann Mardenborough (UK, winner in 2011) raced a Nissan GT-R GT3 in the Blancpain Endurance Series.

News and views on GT Academy Middle East and the progress of all the GT Academy drivers can be followed on various platforms including:

facebook.com/NissanME 

twitter.com/NissanME