Having beaten thousands of competitors in the virtual world of the PlayStation Gran Turismo GT Academy qualifying rounds and proven his skills behind the wheel of a Nissan 370Z in the real racing world, Salman Al Khater from Qatar has been crowned the winner of the inaugural GT Academy Middle East challenge. The 29-year-old mechanical engineer is now looking forward to his first professional race in a Nissan 370Z GT4 Nismo racecar at a 6-Hour Endurance race to be held at the world famous Silverstone circuit located in the UK, in September. “GT Academy has made my dream of becoming a professional racing driver come true,” said Salman. “I had no professional motorsport experience, but I did have the passion to follow my dream. It was tough as the standard of my competitors was very high but that makes winning even more rewarding. “I want to thank everyone who has helped me, but especially Nissan and Sony PlayStation for this life-changing opportunity.” Every GT Academy winner has a story to tell, and Salman is no exception. ‘When GT Academy Middle East was announced, I was so glad to hear the news that I started training on the same day. I have been playing Gran Turismo ever since I was a kid and until today Gran Turismo is my favorite game.' Now he's won, he's moved to the UK and is living in the small village of Silverstone so that he can train as much as possible. Samir Cherfan, Managing Director, Nissan Middle East, said: “GT Academy demonstrates Nissan's belief in delivering innovation and excitement in everything we do – the program is both unique and thrilling. Wherever it is run in the world, GT Academy's selection process and driver development program has produced genuinely fast racing drivers. We have every confidence Salman will add to this legacy.” Laurence Wiltshire, Managing Director, GT Academy Global Ltd, said: “Every GT Academy has highlighted the huge talent pool of drivers waiting to be discovered — the inaugural Middle East competition was no exception. The standard of competition was high but Salman's skill and commitment to every aspect of training really shone through. We're convinced he will be another strong ambassador for GT Academy, the unique route to professional motorsport.” – SG
