Nissan and PlayStation Australia have announced the local dates for the Nissan PlayStation GT Academy live events, with the first round kicking off next week.

NEXT WEEK wannabe race car drivers will crowd Melbourne’s Federation Square for the first round of the Nissan PlayStation GT Academy live events, “where Australian gamers will have their chance to follow in the footsteps of 2015 GT Academy winner Matt Simmons in making the transition from gamer to racer” (pictured below).

“It’s been an amazing journey from delivering parcels for Australia Post and playing Gran Turismo in my lounge room to now travelling the globe and racing a Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 in some of the biggest sportcar races in the world,” said Simmons.

“I can’t wait to see what this year’s competition will hold and I hope we can find our next Australian GT Academy champion.”

Following the Melbourne round, hopefuls will be able to try their hand at the Red Rooster SuperSprint at Sydney Motorsport Park (Event 9 of the 2016 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship) and at Warner Brothers Movie World on the Gold Coast. “In 2016, Live Events will use a pre-release edition of Gran Turismo Sport and are the only opportunity for Australian gamers to enter the competition,” Nissan announced.

Twenty finalists will be selected to compete at the 2016 Australian National Final, also held at Warner Bros Movie World. “The finalists will be tested in gaming using Nissan cars Gran Turismo Sport, as well as fitness tests, and media conference and driving challenges using Nissan sports cars. The six best contestants flown to the famous Silverstone circuit in England to compete against the world’s best at the 2016 GT Academy International Race Camp. The overall 2016 GT Academy International winner will then undertake the intensive Nissan Driver Development Program (NDDP) to qualify them for an International Race Licence.”

2016 Nissan PlayStation GT Academy – Australian Live Event Dates & Locations:

• 14th August Federation Square, Melbourne
• 26th – 28th August Red Rooster Sydney SuperSprint at Sydney Motorsport Park
• 7th – 9th September Warner Bros Movie World on the Gold Coast