Josh qualif ies to be motor racing star... from his own bedroom
ASPIRING racing drivers usually have to work their way up from the bottom, starting with rudimentary go-karts before getting anywhere near a powerful car.
But Josh Martin is going straight from his bedroom to the starting line of some of the world’s most competitive races – without even revving an engine.
The Dundee student has been signed up by a motor-sport team after impressing its bosses with his video gaming prowess.
The company, ProRace UK, has awarded him a five-figure contract to race 130mph BMWs on leading tracks, including Knockhill in Fife and the F1 Grand Prix circuit at Silverstone.
Mr Martin said: ‘I started playing games with friends when I was 11 or 12 and I turned out to be really good at it.
‘I thought I needed to start taking things more seriously.’
From his bedroom, the 20-yearold has won more than 500 races on the driving simulator Assetto Corsa, gaining 17 world records and 15 championship titles, including the 2015 Scottish Championship.
The transition from online gaming to real-life racing is the first of its kind in Scotland.
Mr Martin, who spends up to eight hours a day in front of the screen, will be competing in races against drivers who have raced competitively for years.
The Dundee University psychology student said: ‘The next thing is getting in training to build the muscles in my neck as the one thing the game doesn’t replicate is the G-forces you experience.
‘I’ll have testing to do and I also need to look for sponsorship, but Dundee is a good place for that. It’s well-known for its gaming industry and being the first person to move from racing online to the real thing, I’m hopeful it will work out well.’
Mr Martin wants to show that gaming can be a low-cost route into car racing.
‘Unless your dad’s pockets are lined with gold, it’s very difficult to break into motor sports,’ he said.
‘There’s an underdog approach to it. It will be interesting to see whether I can do everything they can do at a fraction of the price.
‘For my first season I am aiming for five to six race events, ranging from two to 24-hour races. The dream is that this will be a gateway to the Le Mans 24-hours race.
In what is thought to be a world first, Mr Martin will compete for ProRace online as well as on reallife circuits.
Team manager Craig Harper said: ‘Our primary aim is simple; to show to both e-sports athletes and current or future customers – racing drivers – the natural relationship and migration between each.’