Jann Mardenborough – From Gamer to Formula One Driver!
Jann Mardenborough grew up in Cardiff, United Kingdom, dreaming about racing cars. So, like many kids who cannot yet drive, he became involved playing racing videos games.
When he was 8 years old, he started to race Go Karts on a real track. He loved it. And he was good at it. But it was expensive. And by the time he was 11, Jann Mardenborough’s dreams of racing cars in real life faded and he, again, took to racing cars online.
Jann became quite good at online racing. He entered contests and competed regularly.
In one contest, he finished in the top 8 out of 90,000 participants in Europe! And this was not just any contest, it was part of GT Academy, an online race that rewards top finishers with an amazing prize – participating in a live race in real cars against other leading gamers!
Jann had done it. He won the chance to compete in a live race!
He then beat the other finalists to become the youngest driver ever selected to GT Academy! From there, Jann was hooked on auto racing.
Jann Mardenborough continued to race in live events and is now a Formula One race car driver! Jann’s story is one of passion and perseverance. Check out this great video, by SC Featured, that tells Jann’s inspiring and amazing journey!
Additional Resources:
- Learn more about Jann and his racing career on Wikipedia
- Learn more about GT Academy
- Check out IMK stories about car racing
- Here are more IMK stories and quotes about perseverance and passion
Topics for Discussion:
- Jann pursued his passion despite many obstacles along the way. What do you love to do? How can you get better at it? Can you use your passion to help others?
- What character traits does Jann exhibit? How did they impact his life?
Take Action:
- Check out the GT Academy website to see how you can take your passion for online racing into the real world!
Teacher Features:
- Here is a link to a Critical Reading Skills worksheet that you can use for elementary school students.
- Here is a link to a Critical Reading Skills worksheet that you can use for middle school students.
