GT Academy 2010: under starter's orders

Swap your sofa for a real racing car in GT Academy 2010, the ultimate racing competition.

For many, 17 December 2009 will be their first chance to get behind the wheel of the latest Real Driving Simulator as an exclusive free demo of Gran Turismo 5 roars onto PlayStation Store. For one player, it will be the first day of their racing career.

GT Academy is back, giving PlayStation 3 owners the opportunity to turn their virtual racing dreams into reality; to graduate from Gran Turismo 5 to a full European GT4 Cup season, following in the footsteps of last year's winner, Lucas Ordóñez.

All you have to do is download the GT Academy Time Trial from PlayStation Store and start setting lap times around the Indianapolis 500 course in a Nissan 370Z. Times are recorded automatically and the highest placed racers at midnight on 24 January 2010 will be invited to their national finals. These will be tense affairs as the finalists go head-to-head on a new Gran Turismo 5 track.

From the national finals, 20 competitors will be selected for a five-day boot camp at the world famous Silverstone circuit in the UK, where they must prove their physical fitness, mental aptitude and raw speed in real race cars. The two drivers that most impress the judges will embark on the GT Academy - an intensive driving programme to qualify for an international racing licence.

From the final two, one driver will be declared the GT Academy winner and will represent the Nissan PlayStation team in a European GT4 Cup season.

Download the GT Academy Time Trial from PlayStation Store on 17 December 2009 for the chance to win the ultimate driving prize.

GT Academy 2010. The game is just the start.