Nissan, PlayStation and Gran Turismo have teamed up again...

Jann Mardenborough, unearthed by the GT Academy partnership between Nissan and PlayStation, was given a PS4 controller, a helicopter, a modified 2011 Nissan GT-R  – a nod to his GT Academy win – and Silverstone circuit to promote the upcoming Gran Turismo Sport. It also marks 20 years of Nissan's involvement with the Gran Turismo series of games.

The results were pretty extraordinary; he lapped the Silverstone National circuit at an average speed of 76mph and topped 130mph.

"This was once-in-a-lifetime, truly epic stuff," Mardenborough says. "The GT-R /C has brought my two worlds together – the virtual of gaming and the reality of motor sport – in a way I never thought possible. The response from the car when using the controller was far more engaging than I thought it would be. JLB Design has done an incredible job at making everything respond really well.

“Steering, acceleration and braking were all intelligently configured, allowing for controlled application so I could really get a feel through the corners and hold it steady down the fast straights. Driving a full-size, remote-control GT-R to 131mph at Silverstone whilst chasing it down in a helicopter was an unforgettable experience. Now that’s innovation that excites!”

The car will be used for good, too: it is set to visit primary and secondary schools in the UK to promote science, tech, engineering and maths-based career paths. 

View the Gran Turismo Sport car list