Good At Gran Turismo? You Could Become An Olympian

• Motorsports will join baseball, cycling, rowing and sailing as five virtual sports for the Olympic Virtual Series.

• The tournament will take place from May 13 to June 23, 2021.

• Gran Turismo is an icon for sim-racing franchises and has been a staple racing game for Sony Playstation consoles since 1997.

We all know the Olympics is the biggest sporting event on the planet for an athlete to shine. Now, for the first time ever, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is producing the Olympic Virtual Series. The best part, motorsports has been included in the series with the Gran Turismo video game.

The competition, which will see five virtual sports -- baseball, cycling, rowing, sailing and motorsports -- will be held from May 13 to June 23, 2021, ahead of the Tokyo Olympic Games. Details on participation and the prize pool will be revealed later.  

Gran Turismo has been an icon in simulation racing game franchises as well as a staple product for Sony Playstation’s racing genre since its debut in 1997. Its latest iteration, the Gran Turismo Sport, is exclusive to the PS4 while the next version, the Gran Turismo 7, is set to release in 2022 on the PS5 console.

Sure, the real thing will always bring in more attention, but having Gran Turismo in the Olympic Virtual Series is a great way to include motorsports in the prestigious Olympic arena. Also, what better way to get bragging rights among your sim racing peers than by being the best virtual racer in the Olympic arena? So the next time your parents give you an earful for spending long hours on the Playstation, you know what to say.