Tuesday, the final day of action, started with an early morning triathlon, comprising a muddy sprint from Whittlebury Hall to the Silverstone off-road area for bike changeover and a cycle to Stowe circuit, followed by laps in the 370Z. The event produced high drama when Jordan Tresson, who was the clear leader, put his chances of winning at risk when he misjudged the first corner of the new Stowe Circuit on cold tyres and crashed into a tyre barrier.

Lapping the Stowe Circuit in a full race-spec Nissan 350Z GT4 car must have been a highlight of GT Academy for the gamers turned drivers. It was the very same car that had carried their predecessor, Lucas Ordoñez, to second place in the 2009 GT4 Cup. However, there was a final, and incredible, challenge still to come for the four finalists.

After 10 minutes of practice and a 10 minute qualifying session, all four drivers lined up in identical race-prepared Nissan 370Zs on Silverstone’s famous start-finish straight. The competition was fierce in a 20 minute race, punctuated by a simulated driver change in the pits. Jordan Tresson entered the pits with a lead, but it was third-placed Marco Calvo who re-entered the circuit first after a lightening fast pit stop. Marco held on for the win and hoped that he had done enough to progress to the fourth stage of GT Academy.

But in the end, it was Luca Lorenzini from near Mantova in Italy and Jordan Tresson from Villers La Montagne in northern France who most impressed the judges with their talent, determination and ability over the five day duration of the Academy. Under the expert tutelage of RJN Motorsport, both now go on to complete an intensive driver training programme to qualify them for an international C race licence.

At the end of April, only one of them will be announced as winner of the ultimate prize - a full season drive in the European GT4 Cup.

WINNERS
Luca Lorenzini, Italy (Mantova) 26
Jordan Tresson, France (Villers La Montagne) 21

RUNNERS UP
Marco Calvo Acedo, Spain (Madrid) 22
Daniel Collins, Ireland (Limerick) 31

ELIMINATED ON DAY 3
Filipe Barreto, Portugal (Lisbon) 32
Giacomo Cunial, Italy (Treviso) 20
Oliver Simon, Switzerland (Hausen Am Albis) 27
Jeroen Kesselring, Netherlands (Rotterdam) 26

ELIMINATED ON DAY 2
Roberto Otero, Spain (Mininos) 21
Dan Holland, Australia (Brunswick West) 25
Benjamin Peron, Belgium (Hainaut) 29
Christian Giere, Germany (Bremen) 27
John Moorby, UK (Macclesfield) 32
Tony Autridge, New Zealand (Paraparaumu) 19
Steffen Christein, Germany (Baiersbronn) 20
Alex Ingram, UK (Harrogate) 22
Marko Moisio, Finland (Tampere) 25
Robert Wawrzyniak, Austria (Salzburg) 5