Sadeq on the road to reality

ACE gamer Sadeq Ali Hasan used his virtual skills to steer one step closer to winning a dream Nissan drive on the road to reality.

He took part in the first Gran Turismo (GT) Academy event to be held in the region and came out tops after preparing for the challenge with two days of intensive training using a steering wheel on his home game console.

Now in its fourth year, the academy programme made its local debut last weekend at Bahrain City Centre.

Racing devotees were invited to test their mettle during a three-day joint venture between Nissan Bahrain and Sony PlayStation.

Two GT PlayStation console pods were set up, which were fully equipped to look like racing cars, with participants playing the driving game GT 5.

Sadeq, who will turn 22 on Saturday, marked it as an ‘early birthday present’ as he took home the fastest lap time of one minute 33.489 seconds and cannot wait to represent Bahrain in the regional 25-strong GT Academy Race in Dubai on January 10.

The top eight gamers will be invited to a GT Academy Race Camp at Silverstone in the UK on March 15-20, where they will be able to race in a real Nissan 370Z, which Sadeq says would be ‘a dream come true’.

Sadeq, from A’ali, said: “This is my dream career and my dream car. I’ve always wanted to become a racing driver. I really hope I make it to the UK. I will try my very best.

“I am still extremely happy, especially because I will be representing my country. Even if I don’t make it very far in the competition, I’m still pleased that I made it to the regional finals.

“I love GT 5 and I’m very familiar with the game so I had to take part. I’ve basically memorised every track featured.

“I usually use a controller and only practiced using a steering wheel two days before the event. It’s completely different and takes time getting used to but a younger friend helped me, he’s an expert. He actually competed too and even got a better time than I did but he couldn’t qualify because of the age restriction.

“Bahrain needs more events like this. There are so many people, just like me, who are interested in cars and they never get the opportunity to really express themselves. The GT Academy was the perfect place for it.”

Sadeq’s pal Ebrahim Al Mubarak, 20, finished with a time of 1:33.007 but the rules state that every participant had to be at least 21, hold a valid passport and be capable of obtaining the appropriate visa to enter the UK, as well as have a valid driving licence. However, the pods were still open to those who wanted to experience the thrill of the race. Ebrahim is waiting for the academy to return next year when he believes it will be his ‘turn to win.’

Sadeq’s interest in cars grew when he was just 15. He used to spend his time watching videos about automobiles as well as reading about racing. He has spent years imagining what it would be like to be a professional racer.

Although his parents, Ali and Khatoon, are extremely proud of their son, being the youngest of three boys and one of five siblings, they weren’t too happy with his racing ambitions. They were hoping that as a recent graduate in electrical engineering from the Bahrain Training Institute Sadeq would leave his passion behind.

“My parents were angry when they found out I won, but they know it’s what I’ve always wanted to do. After I explained to them it’s a career I’ve literally been dreaming about since I was 15, and that I can make a lot of money out of it, I think they understood.”

Sadeq will be joined by 24 other contestants, eight from the GCC, one from Lebanon and 16 online gamers. The number will whittle down to just eight who will progress to the GT Academy Race Camp at Silverstone.

Simultaneously, South Africa will also be holding the GT Academy and will take its top eight winners to Silverstone as well. But, through intense training and competition, only one will emerge victorious.

The winner at Silverstone will move on to join a driver development programme where entrants undergo an intense three-month driver training exercise in order to qualify for an international racing licence and the spectacular grand prize of competing in the Silverstone 24 Hours in 2014.

Sami Zayati, the marketing, events and PR co-ordinator from Nissan Gulf FZCO, said: “This is the first time something like this has taken place in Bahrain thanks to YK Almoayyed & Sons and Nissan.

“The concept is taking it from ‘virtual to reality’. There are usually two platforms, the online and live events. 

Unfortunately, Bahrain doesn’t have the online platform and that’s why Sony PlayStation and Nissan have come up with the live event, to give the people an opportunity to compete.

“Sadeq’s well-deserved achievement in a very tense competition, where fractions of seconds determine the winner, takes him one step further to Silverstone. Now, he has to give it all he’s got in the regional final to be among the eight who will proceed to the UK and experience the real thing; train and compete in a real Nissan 370Z on a real racing track, to win the GT Academy 2012 Middle East/South Africa prize.”