The Gran Turismo franchise began in 1997 and has captivated racing sim gamers for decades. However, the series will most likely be remembered not for digital entertainment, but its role in the very real world of motorsports. The GT Academy, which was created in 2008 through funding by Nissan and Sony Interactive Entertainment, was the first step in bringing Gran Turismo driving skills to life.
It provided the opportunity for the best Gran Turismo gamers to test their abilities behind the wheel of an actual race car, to see if they had what it takes. Jann Mardenborough was one of those talents, and ultimately defied the odds by becoming a world renowned professional racer.
His success story led to the creation of a film inspired by Mardenborough’s life, which is aptly titled Gran Turismo (2023). While Mardenborough is now a very busy man, traveling the world in furtherance of his greatest passion, he has not forgotten what put him here.
I had the great pleasure of speaking with the self-proclaimed “petrolhead,” to interview him about his experience with the film and what comes next in his life. He was every bit as genuine as I had hoped, and I look forward to seeing where he goes next. So, without further delay, please enjoy this fascinating interview.
First of all, thank you for taking the time to speak with FandomWire. In case our readers are unaware, would you mind telling us a bit about yourself and your career?
Yeah, so I’m a racecar driver, I got into this sport in an unusual way. I won a PlayStation competition in 2011 and the brief was find the fastest gamer on Gran Turismo 5 at the time and see if they can be quick in a real life racecar. I’ve been racing now since that time, all over the world in Japan, in America, in UAE, and in 2017, I was approached by some Hollywood producers who asked me how I’d feel if there was a movie made about my life. That transition into kind of normal life, a university drop out, to a racecar driver, they wanted to make that into a movie.
I thought they were kind of joking so I kind of ignored it and didn’t really take them seriously and a few years later things started to get a bit more real. And yeah, that brings us up to this date, Gran Turismo movie is based on my life, a chapter of my life, from 2011 until maybe 2015. So that four years of my life, the first years of gaming to racing, and yeah it’s out, it’s doing quite well. It was out in cinemas, now it’s on streaming and DVD’s and so yeah that’s about it so far.
If someone had told you fifteen years ago that you would be racing professionally and that a movie would be made about your life, how would you have reacted?
I would say that living on a different planet, my dream was always to be a racing driver, so I would have kind of been really surprised that it turned out to be a reality. But to have a movie be made about that? No, I would have never thought that. That’s too far out there.
What do you think of the opportunity you were given through the GT Academy?
Well, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. I had a chance to enter it, the competition, the year before, really, but that time just passed me by because I think I was doing my school exams and at the time the competition was on, I wasn’t even aware of it because I was just focused on my exams. And then in 2011, it was just fate because I’d just dropped out of university, kind of in a dark period of my life.
A few months later there just happened to be a new menu on Gran Turismo at the time and I was in the right place at the right time to really focus on even this competition, my all, just to see how far I could go. So, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity, really, because a year later, I don’t know what would have happened a year later if I skipped 2011. So I’m very, it’s scary to think about what could have happened if I didn’t enter, put it that way.
What are your thoughts on the development of more programs that would provide access to racing for those who would not have the ability to experience this sport otherwise?
Absolutely. 100%. GT Academy had a lot of stick, it had a lot of people to prove wrong because it was the first of its kind. So, we had, the people that ran the competition and even the drivers, we had so much stick, like there’s no way this is going to work, blah, blah, blah. For me personally, and even the people who created the Academy, when you tell us you can’t do something, that’s impossible, it’s like fuel. It’s like, okay, let’s go, we’ll prove you wrong. So, GT Academy, it has proved to the world that this route is possible.
I’m surprised how there hasn’t been more competitions like GT Academy. I mean, GT Academy can’t run forever. It had its process, it ran for many years, very successful. And people in the industry change. But I’m surprised why there isn’t another kind of inspirational academy, one similar to GT. It’s something I think about a lot because now, especially I have so many people hit me up on Instagram, on my profile to ask me, is GT Academy still around? How do I get into racing? I love racing, I can’t give them an answer. I can’t give you a solid answer because the thing that I used to get into racing doesn’t exist anymore. So, it’s on my mind a lot.
Did you feel like the Gran Turismo film did an adequate job of depicting your life?
Yeah, I love the movie. I love it. Of course there’s some parts which are a bit more exaggerated, but there’s a lot of truth in those exaggerations. So, the family dynamic, my relationship with my father and my brother, the dynamic that I had, the relationship I had with my engineer, because that’s based off a real person. Jack is based off a real engineer that was with me for five years. Danny is based off the creator of GT Academy, Darren Cox. Yeah, I mean, I don’t necessarily fly around in private jets all the time. I’ve been on them a few times, but it’s not like every single race event it’s just lets hop on the PJ.
But yeah, I love it. It does a very good job of wearing three hats. Taking three boxes. My box, I’m happy because it represents my family name, me, my career. Gran Turismo, the game itself, there’s a lot of nuance, details in the film that the original player will notice. The sounds, some of the head of display, texts. And then the racing, you gotta satisfy the racing crowd because those two crowds are very proud of their industry. So yeah, Gran Turismo, Neill, the director, he’s really done a great job.
Has it been an adjustment to talk with the media? The film seems to hint at some initial awkwardness when practicing for interviews.
I was better at media in real life than what the movie depicted. However, if I look at myself back then, now, knowing what I know now, knowing how I conduct myself when I’m talking to people, I think I look terrible in real life. When I look back, you know, in 2011. But yeah, I was, it was very new. I’d never had a camera in my face before. I didn’t really know anything. So when somebody kind of shoves a camera in your face just after you’ve been in a car, it’s like, how do you feel? It’s like, it was very surprising to me. And when I see those videos back, because they’re all out there, I can’t watch it. I’m not very polished. But yeah, I guess I was a bit awkward. Everybody’s going to be kind of bad and awkward at something if they try it for the first time. It’s growth.
So Archie Madekwe played you in the film. If he had not, is there another actor you would have liked to see take on the role?
I don’t know. I guess Jaden Smith. Yeah, Jaden Smith maybe would be off the top of my head. My friends at the time, when they knew that there was going to be the movie being made about me, and we didn’t know at the time who was going to be playing me, you know, everybody starts coming out with these actors’ names and stuff. I don’t watch enough movies to know somebody that looks like me to my age. But I did find it funny at the time when they were casting, there were a lot of actors that looked like me and Archie, suddenly starting to follow me on social media as they’re going through the auditions, which I thought was quite funny. Because this guy looks like me, this other guy looks like me, they all seem to be following me, even two weeks back, which is interesting.
Can you describe what it was like to act as a co-producer on a movie about yourself?
It was unexpected, really, because it wasn’t on my horizon. All I was bound for at the time was creative consultant, that was my gig, and being the stuntman, that was an extra as well. And then, as we were heavy into the filming, the co-producer tag, the credit, came to light. I didn’t expect that, but it’s very cool. I guess it’s something to add to my resumé. I feel very blessed that I could be a co-producer on my own movie. Yeah, it sounds pretty cool.
Since you did the stunt driving for the movie, how was that experience compared to what you normally do as a professional driver?
There’s a lot of thinking involved. I’m somebody in racing that likes to think. I love endurance racing because it’s more than just going flat out all the time. There’s always stuff you’ve got to be playing through your mind. Strategy, positioning, lots of thoughts and things. With the movie, it was even more of that, because there was one bit of advice that the stunt coordinator told me, which really stuck. I’m the main car, the halo car, all the cameras are on me, all the drones, all the helicopters, it’s all on me. I’m the main car. So, he said, look, if you cannot see the camera, the camera can’t see you.
So, in my head, I’m like, hey, that’s brilliant, because I need to be always visible. So, when you’re thinking as well, as I’m driving at speed, all the stunt cars, stunt drivers are around me. If I position my car here, the camera’s here, that means this car can get in the shot as well. I loved the thought process in trying to envision it in third person, just to see how it looks behind the camera. I really enjoyed it. It was a very cool process. It was kind of almost a creative outlet for me, because it was just very interesting to see how it was all going to be put together in the final product.
All of this started because of racing games and in particular, Gran Turismo. Do you still play the games, like the most recent Gran Turismo 7?
Yeah, I’ve got the newest one. I still play occasionally, just for fun. So I’ve gone for now with the PSVR2. It’s my first time really playing with VR, and it’s wild. I mean, I haven’t tried it yet with the steering wheel. I’ve only done it with the controller with the VR, because my setup is changing. But yeah, you can spend hours, man. You can spend hours just having fun.
If you have still been keeping up with Gran Turismo does that mean you have a PlayStation preference? Or are there other consoles you enjoy?
Yeah, I used to play Xbox before. There was a period of time when there was PS2, and then there was GT, Gran Turismo 3 and 4, and then everybody was waiting for Gran Turismo 5 to come out on PS3. And it took so long for it to come out. They just wanted to perfect it. Kazunori Yamauchi, the creator of GT, wants to perfect it. And of course, it needs to be launched with PS3. So, in that middle period, I was like, ok, I’m kind of done playing GT 4. I’m just going to put an Xbox in here and find something to play. And then as soon as Gran Turismo 5 on PS3 came out, I was like, ok, disregard the Xbox. It’ll just be PlayStation for the rest of it. I haven’t had anything else since, really. It’s just been PS.
I had to ask, because if you were a secret Forza fan, our readers were going to want to know that.
I played it, and it was kind of a good middle ground. But I can see why people are tribal, because I used to be like that on the forums as well. I used to be like, no, no, this one’s better than the other. They both have their complements, but really, Forza hasn’t had a GT academy. Nobody’s come from Forza and gone to racing. I don’t like the physics of Forza. I’m a GT guy.
Has becoming a professional racer only fueled your love of motorsports, or do you ever get tired of being around cars as your full-time job?
I love it. I’m a massive petrolhead. I absolutely adore racing. I can sort of race in cars for days. It was something which I was aware of when I first got into racing as well, whether that would ever happen. Like two years in, three years in, I was like, is this ever going to feel…not normal, but am I going to get bored of this? And I haven’t, because it’s my, it’s what I believe I’m put on earth to do, is to race racing cars. And it gives me the utmost pleasure to be in charge of a machine which is so powerful and so loud and has so much energy. And all these people that have been designing the car, the race car, all the engineers and then all the mechanics put it together. And then it has been given to you, the driver, to drive it as fast as you can. It’s nothing better than that. So, I cherish every moment.
What is the next step for you in the 2023/2024 racing season?
So the 2023 season is finished. I think only F1 is really running right now. Most of the other series have come to a close. So now it’s talking to race teams, talking to team owners, sponsors, to put a package together for next year. You know, I want to be racing at the highest level in GTs and prototypes. So, whether that be in Japan or in Europe, in LMP1, LMDh, or in an American championship of the same category. Yeah, now’s the time to, we’re working on it. Working on it. Yeah. Optimistic.
Where do you see yourself in the next ten years? Will you still be racing? Do you have plans to settle down eventually?
That’s a hard question. 10 years. 10 years. Well, let’s just say in 10 years, I still want to have the ability to race at the same level as I am now. I want to put myself in a position physically, mentally, to be capable at that age. Like Fernando Alonso, he’s racing F1, he’s in his early 40s and he’s still at the top of his game. So, I would want to put myself in a position, and I’m planning that now, to be still competent enough at my job that I feel the same, have the same speed, determination, and put in the same effort as I am now. What championship? I have no idea, because that’s so far in the future. But I still want to be racing, and I still want to be racing at a high level. But I can’t say what would be alongside that as well, because I’d like to have a family as well. So ideally, I’d want children by that time, quite a few. Be married. That would be the good target right now.
That brings up an interesting point, what is the general age that professional racers tend to retire?
It varies so much. The best examples right now, it all depends on the will, really. Because it’s not like football or soccer where you get to mid-30s and physically your body can’t take it. With racing, I believe it’s more a mental will. Because of course, there’s a lot of fear involved in racing. And there can become a point where drivers think, ok, it’s not worth the risk anymore, so I’m not going to put in that extra. I’m not going to go for the overtake. And of course, then your speed goes down. It’s like a self-fulfilling prophecy where you just, if you don’t have any trust in your car or your ability, it’s just a horrible cycle you go through. When you’re confident, your speed is high because you believe you can do anything behind the wheel. So, it’s a mental thing, not a physical thing with racing. Unless you have actual injuries, but it’s more of a mental game.
So Alonso is the best example. Jensen Button is another one, where these guys can race at the top of their game at the highest level, whether that be F1 or LMP1. And they can still compete at the sharp end. And they’re into their early, mid-40s. I suspect in the next 10 years, with the advancement in just, not in medicine, but just in understanding how the body works, I think you can push that even later as well. Professionals can go even longer. So right now, mid-40s is possible. I think in the future, you can probably push that into the early 50s as well.
The film put a lot of focus into physical fitness. What is your exercise regimen to stay fit for racing?
So I train every day. I do a lot of work. A lot of weight training, really. As long as my body weight isn’t over, say, 74 kilos, I’m good. And that’s just in muscle. I can put that on quite quick. But I like to weight train more for the mental aspect. It’s not conventional in most sports, because everybody wants to do a lot of cardio and be lightweight and stuff. Be really lightweight. But for me, it doesn’t work. I have to weight train. For the mental aspect, just on the offs. It benefits the racing, because you’re strong behind the wheel. Racing-specific stuff, so there’s a lot of shoulder work and neck work you have to do.
The exercises I do are mainly compound-based. So, a lot of pull-ups, dips, individual dumbbell shoulder presses, lunges, deadlifts. Just compound stuff. I do cardio as well, but it’s anything that’s kind on my knees. So, I do a lot of Stairmaster work. I’m planning just for longevity for when I’m 60, 70 years old. That’s what I’m planning for now. But also, this type of training is helping my racing as well. That’s how I train every day.
That’s good to hear that once you become 30 you’re not necessarily considered an old man for the sport.
A lot of it is the perception as well. The drivers that are currently in their 40s are doing a lot to change that. Because everybody in the media or anybody involved in any sport, they always talk about the new young guy, the new young guy. They’re getting younger and younger and younger. It’s like…great, but there’s still guys that have got a load of experience, are still really fast, and still can beat these guys, can compete. You say they’re old, but it’s not always the younger is great. They’re young, but these guys here are still being able to compete with them at an older age. It’s more the perception than anything, because if somebody tells you you’re old, or you’re over the hill now, you’ve got to be very careful how you program your mind. Because maybe you would start to believe, maybe I am over the hill, maybe I don’t have enough speed as I did five years ago. It’s very sports mental. So much mental.
What are your goals, and what do you want your legacy to be?
My goals are this. I don’t want to talk about them so much, because I need to achieve them, then I’ll talk about them. But I have aspirations in championships I’ve done in the past, which is why I want to win the championship outright. My legacy, I would want people to think, hopefully I get people to look at my legacy and go, wow, that guy showed the world that you can achieve your dreams, your wildest dreams, and didn’t take no for an answer. You can achieve those dreams. That’s what I want my legacy would be. You can do anything in life, you can’t do everything.
So that’s it for my questions, but is there anything that you want to tell readers that maybe I didn’t ask you?
I still play other games. So, I’m a big Battlefield fan, more Battlefield than Call of Duty, I do like to play those. So, in that period of between PlayStation 2 and 3, there were a lot of shooting games that went on in that period. And they were good times, they were great. So, it’s always fun. So, I still play shooting games.
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