PlayStation game turns to real life

Tony Autridge takes part in driver testing at England's famous Silverstone track during his time...
Tony Autridge takes part in driver testing at England's famous Silverstone track during his time at the Gran Turismo Academy.
Wellington student Tony Autridge (19) represented New Zealand at the Gran Turismo Academy, featuring 19 gamers-turned-drivers from 14 countries, at England's famous Silverstone track recently. The Academy runs a boot camp that aims to turn the best players of the best-selling PlayStation game into professional drivers. Autridge spoke to Signal gaming writer Hayden Meikle about the experience.

Q: What were you first - a racing fan or a gamer?
A: A racing fan.

Q: What sort of car do you drive?
A: A BMW 3 series.

Q: Do you have the full driving set-up - with the steering wheel and so on - on your home PlayStation?
A: Yes, I have a Logitech steering wheel with a custom-made stand.

Q: What's your favourite car on Gran Turismo 5?
A: The F2007 - it's the 2007 Ferrari Formula 1 car.

Q: What do you think makes you a good gaming driver?
A: Natural talent and the ability to concentrate.

Q: What was the experience of the GT Academy boot camp like?
A: It was amazing.

It was a money-can't-buy experience meeting some very high-profile motorsport faces.

We got a first-hand look at what top-level motorsport is all about: the glamour, the hard work, and the non-stop action.

Silverstone was our playground and we had all the toys we wanted.

I got to drive a $150,000 Nissan GTR around the track in the rain with nobody telling me to slow down.

The whole experience was like a dream.

Q: Who were some of the people you met?
A: I met Formula 1 stars Johnny Herbert and Eddie Jordan, Lucas Ordonez - the previous academy winner - Sabine Schmitz and loads of other European racing champions.

Oh, and I also got to take Colin McRae's old driving instructor for a spin in a 370z.

Q: What is the biggest difference between racing on a PlayStation 3 and racing a real car?
A: The level of confidence you need.

Anyone can do 200kmh on a game, but in real life it's absolutely terrifying.

You need to be fearless and be 100% committed, because if you get it wrong in real life, there's no restart button.

 

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