Gamer’s quest to get in driving seat

Elite Gran Turismo video gamer Shane Green from Doncaster

The 29-year-old of Newmarket Road in Cantley is set to star on ITV4 this week as a five-episode TV series follows his quest to get behind the wheel in real life as part of the NISMO PlayStation® GT Academy.

Starting tonight (Wednesday) at 8pm, the series joins 42 of Europe’s elite Gran Turismo® video gamers at European Race Camp as they take their virtual skills to the real life-track in a bid to become a professional racing driver with Nissan.

Shane was under the watchful eye of Formula One and Le Mans 24 Hours legend Johnny Herbert who reprised his role of GT Academy head judge having been an advocate of the programme since its inception in 2008.

The UK’s six competitors compete amongst Europe’s 42 most track-worthy gamers for a once in a lifetime opportunity: a place in the Driver Development Programme, a seat in the Dubai 24 Hours in January 2015, and a chance at an exhilarating career in car racing. The UK were amongst 12 European countries to participate in the contest, which began in April, with Shane alongside hundreds of thousands of gamers competing online.

A spokesman said: “The GT Academy live events brought the competition to the public, where at the vibrant Goodwood Festival of Speed, avid gamers and curious bystanders alike could try their hand at becoming the next gamer-to-racer champion. Shane then battled his way through the UK National Final, the first real-life test of race star potential, alongside five other UK winners. All six were given a place at GT Academy Race Camp, the final stage of the competition, held at the birthplace of Formula One in Silverstone, UK at the end of July, 2014.”

As the decisive test of adaptability from behind the screen to behind the wheel, Race Camp comprises a week of intensive challenges both on and off the race track. Competitors strive daily to build their skills and display their potential to avoid elimination from the competition. In a final seven-man race-off, only the top driver from each group will have a shot at becoming GT Academy champion 2014.