A Conversation with Lucas Ordonez- A Gamer-turned-Racer

Have you ever dream to become a racer, but you don’t know what to do or you are afraid of the crazy financial needs to become one. I can introduce you to a pioneer, who started his career as a gamer, and ended up securing podium position in his first Le Mans 24 hour race. The man here in the picture is Lucas Ordoñez, who has competed in 24-hour endurance races at Spa, Dubai and Silverstone among others. Lucas was an ordinary boy from Madrid, Spain, who loved to play Gran Turismo on his Play Station, later he became the first Nissan GT Academy winner in 2008 and then started his career as a professional racer.

Recently, when Nissan launched its GT academy in India, I got a chance to interact with Lucas, where we had a long chit chat on his career and GT Academy.

Q. 1- Your entire journey has been phenomenal, GT academy changed your life. We will like to know about the GT academy, that what it is and how one can participate?
Ans- GT Academy is one such platform that can make your dream come true.  GT Academy organizes an annual competition, where 25,000 players participate online to compete to see who is the fastest. Out of these, only 22 finalists get selected and get invites to have training in the real world. The best of these will advance and go on to train for three months and earn their competition license. If their gaming skills translated into success inside the cockpit, the GT Academy graduate would be offered the opportunity to race for Nissan in search for glory.

Q. 2- So, how it all started, have you ever thought about it?
Ans- In 2008, I was studying for my MBA at my home in Madrid, Spain, and now I am a professional race car driver in one of the most prestigious championships in the world of racing. So as you can imagine, it’s unbelievable for me. I never expected to be at this level after winning a PlayStation competition. It’s really amazing and my life has completely changed since I won the GT Academy.

Q.3 - Tell us something about your experience playing GT on Play Station, what attracts you most about it?
Ans-I started to really play Gran Turismo three years or so before the GT Academy. I tried Gran Turismo 3 when I was really young, but the first game I played from the franchise seriously was Gran Turismo 4. As I love motorsports, I love racing, and Gran Turismo was the best simulator I could have at home. It’s a great game and it’s good fun to play with friends.

Q.4 - So, how was your evolution from a gamer to a racer, what kind of training you received for it and how difficult or easy it was?
Ans. The transition was quite tough, but Gran Turismo taught me a lot that how to drive on a race track, how to brake, and how to drive through a corner. But, yes when you drive in real situations, the physical demands of racing are very intense, and I had to be in really good physical condition.

For this transition, we spent three months in the U.K. racing every weekend in Group N Nissan 350Zs. We ran fifteen races in two months, which is double a full season in motorsports. So, it was incredible to spend lots of time in the cars and workshop with the team and learn everything about motorsports.

I had a personal fitness trainer and I was training for nearly two hours every day from when I won the GT Academy up until the 24H Dubai. I was doing a lot of cardio, including cycling and running. I was also training to prepare myself for hot conditions, since the temperatures in Dubai are extremely high. It was tough, but it’s what a driver needs to do to be really fit and physically prepared. It really got me ready for my debut at the 24 hour endurance race in Dubai.

Q.5 - How good is the GT simulator, have you ever raced on a GT track in real life, and how was your experience?
Ans. I’ve driven Nurburgring. I drove it in GRAN TURISMO first, then during European GT4 Cup in a real car. The track was exactly the same in real life as in the game. All the ups and downs, the curves, the atmosphere, even the bumps in the hairpin, it’s all completely the same. The game turned out to be great training. It’s incredible how Kazunori (CEO and designer of Polyphony Digital, creator of the GT series) incorporated all of that.
It is exactly the same in real life as it was in the game. I was so surprised when I saw that on the track for the first time. I remember thinking, “Wow, this is just like Gran Turismo.”

Q.6- We also heard about Grand Tourismo movie, which will be based on your life, have you received any such offer?
Ans. Yes, there was offer for the movie, but nothing has been decided yet, I will let you once everything will be finalized.