GT Academy Aussie winner announced

Sony Computer Entertainment Australia has announced 25 year old student, Daniel Holland as the Australian winner of Nissan GT Academy 2010.

This is the first time an Australian will be represented in the competition which will see him go head-to-head against other finalists across 17 countries.

From the 16 Australian finalists flown in from around the nation today, only Daniel Holland will take his PlayStation®3 lounge room racing dream literally to the race track. He will now be participating on the international stage of Nissan GT Academy at Silverstone, UK, undergoing a rigorous training program against other competitors for the chance to become a real world race car driver.

After recording the best results today, the culmination of a series of challenges on Gran Turismo for PS3, Daniel will travel to Silverstone at the end of February 2010, with the chance to live his race car driving dream. 

Australia holds promise to be a tough competitor in the next stage. Daniel Holland consistently recorded top ranking lap times on the international leader board during the online round of the competition, to secure his place in today's national final.

"I'm stoked! I can't believe that my passion for Gran Turismo has provided me with this opportunity. The fact that I'm now going to Silverstone at the end of this month as the first Australian to take part in Nissan GT Academy, blows my mind. It's been a phenomenal day with some worthy challengers, but right now, I just can't wait to get to the UK to compete internationally" said Holland.

Daniel will join other finalists from competing countries at the world famous Silverstone circuit for the Nissan GT Academy - a five-day, comprehensive race driver 'boot camp'. Participants will have the chance to develop new driving skills through a series of online and off-line challenges that will include handling of Nissan cars and will also be judged on physical fitness and mental aptitude.

The two finalists that display the talent, fitness, aptitude, drive and determination to succeed in motor sport will undergo a UK-based intensive driving and racing programme to prepare them to qualify for an international racing license. Finally, the driver with the most potential will compete on an international stage, racing a full season in the European GT4 Cup in a Nissan 370Z prepared by RJN Motorsport in May, 2010.

Daniel follows in the footsteps of Spanish student Lucas Ordoñez, who graduated from his PlayStation 3 console to become a full-time racing driver via Nissan GT Academy. 

"GT Academy epitomises the Sony make.believe spirit, the power of turning dreams into reality" said Raoul Bedford, Senior Director Marketing, Sony Computer Entertainment Australia. "From enjoying Gran Turismo on PlayStation in your living room, to perfecting the ultimate simulator game and aspiring to become a real life race car driver, PlayStation and Nissan have given Daniel Holland the opportunity to fulfil his dream through GT Academy." 

"The team at PlayStation share Daniel Holland's excitement and anticipation as he heads to the UK. With 2010 being the inaugural year of Australia's involvement in Nissan GT Academy, we wish him well and will be supporting him all the way."

Head over to BigPond GameArena for a video wrap-up of the event.