PlayStation has confirmed the first event of the FIA certified Gran Turismo Championships 2020 season will take place in Sydney, Australia on February 15-16
The event promises 50 of the world’s fastest Gran Turismo racers from Europe, the Americas, and Asia going wheel-to-wheel with Australian and New Zealand competitors, including Cody Nikola Latkovski (who grabbed second in both the Nations Cup and Manufacturer Series at the 2019 World Finals in Monaco in November) plus Adam Wilk and 2015 GT Academy winner Matt Simmons.
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“I’m deeply moved to be able to host the FIA-Gran Turismo Championships in Australia,” said GT creator Kazunori Yamauchi in a statement supplied alongside the announcement. “I felt from way back during the first Gran Turismo that Australia is home to some of the most passionate GT fans of the world. Australia is also a very forward thinking country that took notice of the Japanese sports car culture which ultimately led to the creation of Gran Turismo, with cars like the iconic Nissan GT-R, which even became a part of their own sports car culture.”
“Not only that but the Bathurst (Mount Panorama) Circuit is one of the most unique tracks in the world, with its beautiful scenery and frighteningly difficult course lay out. I think it’s the robust car culture of Australia that nurtured fans of Gran Turismo over the last 20 years and led to the birth of top Gran Turismo athletes such as Cody Nikola Latkovski and Adam Wilk. I’m looking forward to seeing them perform well in this world class championship which is being held for the first time on their home turf.”
Tickets are free and are available now on a first come, first served basis. Those who can’t make it to the event at Luna Park’s Big Top event will be able to watch the coverage online via GT’s official channels.
Managed by GT developer Polyphony Digital and FIA, the Gran Turismo Championships were established in 2018 and have previously visited Tokyo, Monaco, New York City, Paris, Nürburg, and several other cities across the globe.
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Luke is Games Editor at IGN’s Sydney office. You can find him on Twitter every few days @MrLukeReilly.
Source: IGN.com 2020 Gran Turismo Championships Begin in Sydney, Australia Next Month