Formula One might be taking a holiday at the moment but these are busy times for the Nismo athletes who are competing all over the world. Lucas Ordonez and Michael Krumm have just completed a V8 Supercars test at Winton Raceway in Australia, an opportunity that came their way via the new Nismo Global Driver Exchange. Nissan European GT Academy Team RJN is at the Slovakia Ring to defend the lead in the FIA GT Series Pro-Am standings. Fresh from a Super GT test, Jann Mardenborough is back at the Nurburgring where he took his breakthrough pole position last year, to race against some of the world's best single-seater drivers in the FIA European F3 Championship. As the Nismo athletes race around the world the next generation of European GT Academy winners are in action at the moment too. Ashley Oldfield, the 2012 South African winner, is in Britcar action at Snetterton, as he goes through the vital Nissan Driver Development Program that readies the winners for international racing. In September ‘Race Camp' will take place for the 2013 European GT Academy competitions and by the end of the month the new winners will have been selected. The National Finals are taking place across the regions right now to select the competitors for Race Camp so there are a lot of gamers pushing hard to become the next European GT Academy winner. Michael Krumm has been helping the Nismo athletes get used to Super GT and life in Japan but he had some new experiences himself yesterday. “Driving the V8 Supercar was quite an experience,” said Krumm. “We prepared well, the team gave us all the information about the car, how it is to drive, but when you actually get it, they are awesome cars. The Nissan Altimas have a lot of power and not much downforce, so it's not what I'm used to, but it was much better to drive that I expected. It was great here at Winton. It's kind of a crazy track. It's a big challenge, bumpy and tight and has lots of different corners, but the cars are great fun. Everyone wants to come and race at Bathurst or the Gold Coast, so I'd really love the chance to drive these cars again in the future.” Lucas Ordonez, making his Super GT debut at the Suzuka 1,000 kms, said “the car is amazing. Lots of power, 650hp in the Nissan V8, so I've really enjoyed it. It is very challenging for a new driver in these cars, but I was getting on the pace towards the end. It was very tricky on brakes, but I was pushing and trying to find the limit.” Both FIA GT races at the Slovakia Ring take place this Sunday at 10:15 and 14:15 local time. Follow the action live on Nismo.tv. — SG
