First Nissan GT Academy Winner Races at Sebring

What professional gamer out there doesn’t dream of becoming a real-life race driver? Well, if you are really good with your console controller, you might actually be in with a chance, as Lucas Ordonez, the Spaniard who won the inaugural Nissan GT Academy proves.

The 25 year old got his chance behind the wheel of a Nissan-powered LMP2 machine entered by Signatech in the 12-hour endurance race of Sebring. This is only the beginning of what could become his motorsport career, as Ordonez has a full LeMans Cup schedule ahead of him this year, including the 24 Hours of LeMans in June.

"Nissan has a rich heritage in international motorsport and we are also a very innovative company," said Jon Brancheau, Vice President Marketing Nissan. "Therefore, our return to the Le Mans 24 Hours with a driver we discovered three years ago through a PlayStation virtual competition may seem surprising to some, but feels natural for us."

This isn’t his first try at professional racing, as he drove a Nissan 350Z in the 2009 Dubai 24 Hours. His excellent showing there resulted in him being recruited to drive for Nissan in the 2009 European GT4 Cup. The excellent performances, including a win and three second-place finishes, earned him second place in the drivers' championship while securing the team title for RJN Motorsport.

“Lucas's speed and dedication in his short racing career have earned him the respect of many within Nissan's motorsports and marketing operations, and have resulted in his promotion to top-tier sports car competition with the Signatech Nissan racing team in their quest to capture the International LeMans Cup,” Nissan says.