Student wins 2013 Nissan PlayStation GT Academy European title

Miguel Faisca, a 24-year old student from Lisbon, Portugal has been crowned the 2013 Nissan PlayStation GT Academy European Champion. The super fast Gran Turismo gamer has proved over the past seven days at the GT Academy Race Camp at Silverstone to be equally quick in real life Nissan Nismo sports cars.

Over 765,000 people from across Europe entered this year's GT Academy competition on a special demo of the forthcoming Gran Turismo6 game for PlayStation3. For the fifth instalment of Race Camp, a record 42 gamers gathered at the U.K.'s famous Silverstone Circuit to begin the process of turning them from virtual to real racers.

Guided by high profile judges and mentors, including former Formula One drivers Johnny Herbert, René Arnoux, Stefan Johansson and Vitantonio Liuzzi, the 42 were divided into seven territory groups. The fierce competition saw the field gradually reduced through a series of challenges that tested driving ability, fitness, attitude, psychological strength and potential.

For today's final day of Race Camp, only one competitor from each of the seven territory groups remained in contention. After repeating a 'benchmark' test first completed on day one on Silverstone's National Circuit in a 370Z Nismo, the competitors took to the track for practice and qualifying sessions in 370Z race cars. Coming from no real racing experience one week ago, the seven competitors had all completed a basic ARDS race licence during their time at Race Camp as well as a number of challenges and coaching sessions to ready them to take to the track for a race off.

It was raining as soon as the two heats started. Romain Delva from Belgium started well and led the first of eight laps. However, on lap two, he spun in the wet conditions, allowing Miguel through. The Portuguese driver held on until the end despite a late charge by Adam Suswillo.