Monday 17th February 2014

GP3 drive for Jann Mardenborough

PH chats with GT Academy graduate ahead of a season with Christian Horner's Arden GP3 outfit

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For once the old 'dreams can come true' cliche really is appropriate for the soaring success of a racing driver. As you may know, Jann Mardenborough won the Gran Turismo Academy back in 2011. He was on a gap year, thought he was a bit handy at GT and will now be driving for Christian Horner's GP3 team this season. Phenomenal stuff.

Jann's proved worth of GT Academy project

As a GT Academy NISMO protege, he's driven GT3 GT-Rs at Le Mans and Spa, raced in European F3 and taken a podium at the Dubai 24-Hour in a 370Z. His talent has been proven, no doubt, and certainly reinforces too the legitimacy of the GT Academy in producing genuine racers.

GP3 has already produced winners who have graduated to F1, including Valterri Bottas and Esteban Gutierrez. Mardenborough has also been selected to take part in the Infiniti Red Bull driver development programme, no doubt thanks to Horner's ownership of the Arden team. Some of a more cynical persuasion won't need it pointing out that Nissan run the GT Academy and also created Infiniti...

Anyway, having spoke with Jann for a few minutes on the phone after returning from New Zealand (where he finished second in the TRS championship), he's predictably excited about the year ahead. But his feet seem firmly on the ground too, describing his first meeting with Christian Horner as "crazy" and appreciative of the great position he now finds himself in.

GP3 has already made two F1 drivers...

His GP3 season starts with testing in Barcelona late in March. Amazingly, the only two circuits Jann won't have driven before this season are Sochi (obviously) and the Hungaroring. He was particularly looking forward to Abu Dhabi and loves Monza.

By continuing the NISMO affiliation Jann is hopeful there will be other opportunities to race at Le Mans. He described his first experience as "awesome" and mentioned how it was "refreshing" to see so many enthusiasts at the event before the race. Probably all PHers, come to think of it...

We had a quick chat about road cars too. Ironically given he's won a race in a GT-R GT3, Jann hasn't been allowed out much in a GT-R road car. But then he is only 22 and, by his own admission, "fears the worst!" if given free rein too soon. But having endured 7,000 miles in a Juke NISMO (he says he liked it so the PR training must be good) he must be due an upgrade. 370Z NISMO perhaps?

But regardless, congratulations are certainly due to Jann for his fantastic achievements in motorsport. His success already augurs brilliantly for the upcoming season, and we'll be following his GP3 campaign with interest.

More in an official promo vid here.

 

[QuattroDave]

Well done that Jann :P

But seriously it's great to see that someone literally from the playstation generation can be found through a game and developed into a bona fide racing driver.

If he does well it may even oped the door to those who don't have parents with hundreds of thousands to put them through every stsage of racing from age 4 or whatever it is now!

Great stuff all round.

[arkenphel]

QuattroDave said:

Well done that Jann :P

But seriously it's great to see that someone literally from the playstation generation can be found through a game and developed into a bona fide racing driver.

If he does well it may even oped the door to those who don't have parents with hundreds of thousands to put them through every stsage of racing from age 4 or whatever it is now!

Great stuff all round.

My thoughts exactly. This GT Academy thing is a great way of opening the doors to people who blanch at the cost of motorsport, even entry level stuff.

Well done to the talented young man!

[samoht]

Really excited to hear Jann making another step towards F1!

The fact that GT Academy is open to everyone gives us the chance to measure ourselves against the best. You can chase the top guys' ghost and visibly perceive their skill and speed.

To see those same 'best' to go on to compete in F1 would be awesome, would really makes the competition real.

I think Jann will make not only a very talented F1 driver, but also a very popular one.

[ukaskew]

It's an amazing, comprehensive program, even as somebody who generally only attends club level stuff I've seen the Academy Nissans out at Castle Combe many times mixing it with local GT racers on horribly wet and windy days. I presume Jann was one of those several years ago.

[4a4]

'Stop wasting your time playing bloody computer games, it will never get you anywhere in life'.

So, where's XBox and Forza's half arsed attempt at all of this?

[drakart]

I think it's good news, but the idea that he is good/experienced enough for F1 is too much.

[chevronb37]

Brilliant news.

I interviewed Jann a couple of years ago and he was such a charming guy - really unassuming and unaffected. Even then, only a few months into his career, he was fiercely competitive - definitely a real racing driver.

His first race proper was at an absolutely sodden British GT round at Oulton Park. He did such a good job - quick and kept it on the island around a seriously tricky circuit. Amazing really. I've seen guys who've raced their entire lives struggle at Oulton in the wet. Look at this:



I was gutted for him when his suspension collapsed coming past us through the Old Hairpin at that year's BGT finale at Donington Park. He was all poised to take the title in his first season.

[Alex Langheck]

As I read on Facebook this morning; "gamer makes it to F1" is more newsworthy than "gamer makes it to Le Mans". Sadly, true.

[TheArchitect]

Glad to see things are progressing for him, seems like a nice chap in all the interviews i have heard and looking forward to see how he does in GP3.

[Henry Fiddleton]

Good luck to him.

GP3, and possibly the next levels of racing are far more competitive!

Would be good to see him suceed.

[designndrive62]

I don't mean to sound negative... I don't have anything against the guy, he seems perfectly nice, but I'm not sure he is at the level for this yet to be honest. He didn't shine in british f3 against a poor field, yes he had a couple of podiums but really that wasn't hard to do against last years british f3 field and was only mid field most of the time when he came up against better competition in the euro f3. Fair enough to him for riding the wave he is on, and yes it's good to see that he has made something of it, but I can't help feeling the hype is all a bit artificial and he could certainly have done with at least another year in f3. I think his ability lies much better in sports car or gt racing. I think his lack of experience will really show this year compared to all the other young guns who have been racing competitively since they were 7 or 8. I wait to be proven wrong but I don't think I will.

[dino ferrana]

In Euro F3 he was racing against basically pro racing drivers who have almost all driven since they were at primary school. By contrast, this lad hadn't sat in a single seater! I think he did rather well if you consider that and a lot better than some "stars" of lower formulae who come into F3 and tank.

I think a mark of his quality is that he out qualified and was quicker in free practice than Michael Krumm and Lucas O. Lucas has a lot more experience in LMP2 (Jann hadn't raced one before) and Michael is a Super GT driver of huge experience.

Will be interesting to see, but he is clearly very talented to have got this far withotu looking like a total tool.

[IforB]

I don't think anyone is pretending he's the finished article yet, but he's certainly done incredibly well so far and if he continues his trajectory and with the support he's been getting, then there is a possibility he may make it to F1. Not a certainty of course, but if he does, then I'll certainly be cheering him on.

Great to see something a bit different other than "you have to be in a kart by the time you're 5 or you'll get no-where."

[The Wookie]

4a4 said:

So, where's XBox and Forza's half arsed attempt at all of this?

Too busy getting repeatedly punted off by my Drivatar more than likely. BTCC stylee FTW

[Bradgate]

This is excellent news, a young British prospect getting a place on Red Bull's ladder.

Adjusting from gaming to real racing must be tough, however. you can't hurt yourself on a Playstation, after all. What happens when a young driver from a gaming, rather than karting background has his first proper crash, and is either injured or badly shaken up. How do they handle it?