Well now, let me tell ya about this young lad named Jann Mardenborough. He ain’t your everyday fella, no sir. This young man, born on the 9th of September, 1991, over in Darlington, got a start in life that’s anything but ordinary. He didn’t come from no rich family or anything like that, but he sure did dream big, and when a fella dreams big, there’s usually no stopping ’em, is there?
Now, Jann’s love for cars started when he was just a wee boy. Like most kids, he was fascinated by the fast ones, the ones that roared down the roads and made a fella’s heart race. But Jann didn’t just want to watch those cars zoom past; he wanted to be behind the wheel himself. And not just any old car, mind you, but the kind that gets to race with the best of ’em.
So what does a determined young man like Jann do? Well, he gets himself noticed. In 2011, he entered the Nissan GT Academy, a competition where folks race on a simulator to prove who’s the best. There were thousands of folks, more than 90,000 if you can believe it! But Jann, he didn’t just participate, oh no, he won the whole thing. Beating out every single one of those other contestants. And that right there, well, that was just the start of his big journey.
After winning the Nissan GT Academy, Jann got himself a spot in the Britcar GT Championship. It was July 2011 when he made his official racing debut at the Castle Combe Circuit. He wasn’t alone in that race, no sir. He teamed up with Bryan Heitkotter, the winner of the American Nissan GT Academy. Together, they drove a Nissan 370Z for RJN Motorsport. Now, you might not know much about that, but trust me when I say that RJN Motorsport’s a big name in that racing world. They were all about helping Jann get his start, and he sure made good on that opportunity.
Jann didn’t waste no time after that. He kept climbing, just like a boy up a tree, steady and sure. In 2013, just two years after that debut, he made his way to one of the biggest races out there: the 24 Hours of Le Mans. That’s right, folks, Le Mans! He didn’t just get there by luck; no, he was drivin’ a Zytek Z11SN-Nissan for Greaves Motorsport. And he wasn’t in that race alone either. He had a couple of other fine drivers with him, Lucas Ordez and Michael Krumm, and together, they raced in the LMP2 class.
Now, it wasn’t the easiest of races. No, sir, it wasn’t. They had a mix of wet and dry conditions, and that sure made things tricky. But Jann, he hung in there. He kept his head cool, focused on the track, and did his best for that whole 24-hour stretch. Ain’t easy racing that long, but he showed he had the grit and the guts to do it.
Things didn’t stop there, though. Jann kept pushin’ forward. He got himself into the GP3 Championship, and wouldn’t ya know it, just in his eighth race, he went and won it at Hockenheim. That right there is a fine achievement, I tell ya. But he didn’t just stick to one place. No, no, Jann kept taking on new challenges, competing in the 2014 Toyota Racing Series over in New Zealand, and working on his skills in all kinds of conditions and cars.
Between 2021 and 2022, Jann took a bit of a break from the racing circuits. But don’t think he was just sittin’ on his laurels. No, he worked as a test and development driver for Nissan and McLaren, particularly in Formula E. That’s a real newfangled kind of racing with electric cars. Seems like every time you turn around, folks are talkin’ about electric cars now. So Jann’s been busy, even when he ain’t been racin’ on the track.
But let me tell you, he hasn’t just been all about racing. No, sir, Jann’s had himself a part in a movie, too. You might’ve heard of the movie “Gran Turismo,” well, Jann Mardenborough, he portrayed himself in that film. And just to make sure things looked real and proper, he even did some stunt work as a double for another character. That boy’s done it all, ain’t he?
Jann’s journey is one of those stories that reminds ya that hard work, a bit of luck, and a whole lot of grit can take a fella from racing on the simulators to racing with the big dogs. He didn’t get there by just sittin’ around waiting for things to happen. No, he earned every bit of it. And there’s a whole lot more ahead for him too, I reckon.
So, if you’re a fan of fast cars, or if you’re just lookin’ for some inspiration to follow your own dreams, you might want to keep an eye on this fella. Jann Mardenborough, a name that’s sure to be remembered in the racing world for many years to come.
Tags：[Jann Mardenborough, racing debut, Nissan GT Academy, 24 Hours of Le Mans, GP3 Championship, Gran Turismo, racing career, motorsports, professional racing driver]
