Gran Turisimo comp mixes virtual and real tracks

Stephen Withers
Wednesday, 28 May 2008 04:00

Your IT - Entertainment

Think you're a hot shot of the simulated racing circuit? Sony's giving you the chance to see how well you can transfer those skills to the tarmac.

Following the successful conclusion of the FIFA Interactive World Cup, Sony is turning its attention to Gran Turismo 5 Prologue and the GT Academy competition that may see the winners compete in a real-life motor race in Dubai next January.

Here's how it works.

The first round is an online Gran Turismo 5 Prologue tournament running on the PlayStation Network. Beginning June 2, contestants have seven weeks to clock the fastest time around the Eiger Nordwand track. The car used for the trial is the Nissan 350Z, so get practising.

Next comes the national finals involving head-to-head competition among the 20 fastest drivers from each country. The top three get through to the third stage, which is where things get really interesting.

On August 25, the action moves to the Silverstone circuit where competitors get the chance to show what they've got on a real track.

In addition to driving a Nissan GT-R, finalists will be put through a series of mental and physical tests.

What's in it for the winners?

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