New To Covering E-Sports, This Story Caught My Eye
If you’re a gamer I’m sure you’ve heard of Jann Mardenborough but after my first time reading his story, I was amazed at the leap he was able to make…
LE MANS, FRANCE – JUNE 13: Nissan Motorsports driven by Olivier Pla, Jann Mardenborough and Max Chilton during the Le Mans 24 Hour race at the Circuit de la Sarthe on June 13, 2015 in Le Mans, France. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
If you’re a gamer I’m sure you’ve heard of Jann Mardenborough but after my first time reading his story, I was amazed at the leap he was able to make from gaming to reality.
When you play videogames, it usually takes you to another place. Removes you from reality and, on occasion, can be therapeutic for some in dealing with stress. But not many people can say that they are so good at a certain game, that they've been asked to apply those skills to real-life situations. Let alone behind the wheel of a +$200,000 car going over 200 MPH. Jann Mardenborough is that person.
It Started With A Dream
LE MANS, FRANCE - JUNE 11: The Nissan NISMO GT-R LM of Olivier Pla, Jann Mardenborough and Max Chilton drives during qualifying for the Le Mans 24 Hour race at the Circuit de la Sarthe on June 11, 2015 in Le Mans, France. (Photo by Ker Robertson/Getty Images)
This journey started in 2011 when Mardenborough was participating in the GT Academy Time Trial. A six-week competition that took the best 20 lap times from 6 different countries. Those 120 contestants would move on to the next round and Mardenborough finished with the 9th best time in the UK.
Jann made his way to GT Academy where he and 11 others were thrown into a reality show type-setting to see who would come out on top. The winner would get a chance to compete as a professional racecar driver. During the 7 day competition, the 12 young competitors were tested not only mentally but physically. Flying in acrobatic planes and driving cars such as GT-r’s and 370Z’s. They even went as far as to put the contestants through army assault training to test their stamina.
Jann went on to win the final race at Silverstone and the competition. He got an opportunity to race for Nissan and the rest is history.
Times Of Adversity
But there's been some low points for Mardenborough too. In March 0f 2015, Jann was involved in a wreck that killed one spectator and injures several others. The front end of Jann's front wheels lifted up, forcing the car to become airborne. Mardenborough was asked to be back in the car the very next week for test runs. Something he said was one of the hardest things he's had to do. The racetrack his Mardenborough's safe place and one where he can forget about the pressures of the outside world. So getting back behind the wheel may have been the best thing for him.
Jann is still driving for Nissan and gives hope to those who don't just want to play the game, they want to be in it. Mardenborough is one of the rare cases where a gamer can make that leap.
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