Is Jann Mardenborough still racing?

Yes. After a period away from a full-time seat, Jann Mardenborough returned to professional competition in 2024, racing in Japan’s Super GT Championship in the GT300 class, and he remains active, with additional appearances in endurance events and ongoing plans to continue competing.

Where he is racing now

Mardenborough re-established his career in Japan in 2024 by joining the Super GT grid in the GT300 category. The program marked his first full-season return since his previous stint in Japanese racing, aligning with the series where he had previously built much of his top-level experience. Alongside Super GT commitments, he has also taken part in select endurance outings, maintaining both race sharpness and visibility with teams and manufacturers.

Why this question keeps coming up

Interest in Mardenborough’s status has surged since 2023, when the Gran Turismo film retold his rise from gamer to racer. That publicity followed several quieter seasons during which he had fewer race starts than earlier in his career, leading some to wonder whether he had stepped away. His 2024 Super GT campaign answered that: he’s back in the cockpit and remains an active professional driver.

Recent timeline and context

The following timeline highlights the key beats that led to Mardenborough’s current racing activities, offering context on his return and what’s come since.

• Pre-2020: Built a diverse CV from GTs and prototypes in Europe to Japan’s Super GT and junior single-seaters.
• 2020–2022: A comparatively light competitive schedule amid broader motorsport disruptions and program reshuffles.
• 2023: Renewed public profile via the Gran Turismo film; undertook testing, sim work, and exploratory race opportunities.
• 2024: Full-season return in Super GT (GT300), plus selected endurance appearances in Japan.
• 2025: Continues to be active, pursuing additional race opportunities while leveraging his Japan-based momentum.

Taken together, the trajectory shows a deliberate rebuild: media attention opened doors, but the anchor is his 2024 return to a high-profile championship, putting competitive mileage back on the board.

What to watch next

Several realistic paths could define Mardenborough’s near-term racing calendar, depending on team openings and manufacturer programs.

• Continuation in Super GT GT300, including expanded testing and longer-term alignment with a team or manufacturer.
• Selective endurance entries (e.g., Japanese long-distance events) to add seat time and showcase consistency and race craft.
• Potential crossovers to other GT3 championships or prototype tests if opportunities align with his Japan base and schedule.

These scenarios are not mutually exclusive; drivers commonly blend a primary championship with targeted endurance or development roles to strengthen future prospects.

How to follow his racing

For official confirmation of appearances, keep an eye on Super GT entry lists and race-weekend bulletins, team announcements, and his verified social channels. Those outlets tend to post final driver lineups, car numbers, and weekend results first.

Summary

Jann Mardenborough is still racing. He returned to full-season competition in 2024 in Japan’s Super GT GT300 class and has supplemented that with endurance outings, remaining active into 2025 while pursuing further opportunities. If you’re tracking his career, monitor Super GT announcements and team updates for the latest entries and results.

Did Jann Mardenborough really set a lap record?

Jann Mardenborough achieved a lap record at Hockenheimring — not at Le Mans as depicted in the film. The movie’s alteration of facts adds to the narrative of Jann’s struggle to prove himself as a sim driver in the world of professional racing.

Has Jann Mardenborough won any races?

Yes, Jann Mardenborough has won multiple races, including a GP3 race at the 2014 German Grand Prix, a Super GT GT300 win in 2016, and an overall win in the Blancpain Endurance Series in 2012. He also won the overall 2011 Nissan PlayStation GT Academy competition, which served as a major career milestone.
 
Key Race Wins

• 2011: Won the Nissan PlayStation GT Academy competition. 
• 2012: Took his first major race win in the Blancpain Endurance Series. 
• 2014: Won a GP3 race at the German Grand Prix. 
• 2016: Achieved a win in the Super GT GT300 class. 

Other Achievements 

• Podium Finishes: Achieved podium finishes at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the All-Japan Formula 3 Championship.
• Championship Contention: Contended for titles in GT3 and junior formula racing.
• High-Level Competition: Competed in top-tier series like Super GT and Super Formula.

Why did Jann Mardenborough stop racing?

Jann Mardenborough did not permanently stop racing, but his top-tier career faced significant challenges after a fatal accident at the Nürburgring Nordschleife in 2015, which caused him psychological distress and resulted in a downturn in opportunities as a sim driver’s place in professional racing was questioned. He then moved to compete in Japan, facing setbacks after Nissan’s withdrawal from motorsports, but continues to have a goal of returning to professional racing. 
The Nürburgring Accident and its Aftermath 

• Fatal Crash: In 2015, Mardenborough was involved in a crash at the Nürburgring Nordschleife that resulted in a spectator’s death, leaving him “horrified” and blaming himself, though an inquiry cleared him.
• Career Impact: This incident significantly affected him and the perception of GT Academy graduates, leading to professional skepticism about the value of sim drivers in real-world racing.

Career Setbacks and a Shift in Focus 

• Loss of Sponsorship: Mardenborough was eventually let go by Nissan, which was a major sponsor for him and his team, following the end of the GT Academy program and a poor Super GT season.
• Development Role: He then transitioned to a role in development for Formula E, focusing on both physical and sim aspects, but expressed dissatisfaction with this role, stating it was “not what I want to do”.

Continuing Pursuit of Racing Goals

• Move to Japan: He moved to Japan and competed in Super GT and other Japanese series, finding success and enjoying the racing experience, but felt his reduced visibility in Europe and the wider world after five years there. 
• Return to Racing: Mardenborough has continued to race in other forms of motorsport, including a Fuji 24 Hours outing in 2023, and still aims to compete at the highest level, potentially in Le Mans Hypercars. 

Is GT Academy still active?

No, the original Nissan GT Academy, run in partnership with Sony and Gran Turismo, is not still going; it ran from 2008 to 2016 and effectively ended with Nissan’s withdrawal from some international motorsport programs. However, a separate organization, Ginetta, now runs a championship called the Ginetta GT Academy, which began in 2021 and is active for the 2025 season, allowing drivers of all experience levels to compete in identical Ginetta G56 race cars.
 
The Original Nissan GT Academy 

• End of the program: The Nissan GT Academy, a competition that turned gamers into professional race car drivers, ran its last event in 2016.
• Reasons for cancellation: The program ended due to Nissan’s cost-cutting measures and changes in their motorsport partnerships, including RJN Motorsport switching to Honda, which signaled the unofficial end of the GT Academy.

The Ginetta GT Academy

• New Series: While the original program is finished, Ginetta has established its own version of the GT Academy, which began in 2021. 
• Current Status: The Ginetta GT Academy is still active, entering its fifth season in 2025, and continues to provide a pathway into GT racing for drivers. 
• Focus: It allows drivers to gain experience in identical Ginetta G56 GTA race cars in a fun and competitive environment, focusing on drivers of all ages and experience levels.