GT6 celebrates Senna

Sony has announced a Gran Turismo 6 (GT6) update celebrating the life, achievements and legacy of Ayrton Senna.

Available starting May 27 for GT6 on PlayStation 3, the Ayrton Senna Tribute is the culmination of a long term partnership between the Ayrton Senna Institute (IAS) and Gran Turismo developer Polyphony Digital to deliver online content updates that enable players to trace the roots of his racing career and relive some of the legend’s best moments, including his pole position laps on circuits such as Brands Hatch and Monza.

GT6 owners will be able to experience these historic moments through a free online update available starting on May 27. Upon downloading the latest update, a dedicated Ayrton Senna section will be made available on the main menu. Players receiving a bronze or better in any of the legendary Senna Challenges will receive the car. Drivers will also have the option to purchase the vehicle with in-game credits from the Ayrton Senna dealership without having to complete the seasonal event.

The new in-game content releases include one of Senna’s first go-karts, built by DAP, which helped start his racing career and the Lotus 97T that Senna drove during his second Formula 1 season in 1985 when he tallied seven poles. In addition to his cars, the in-game update includes Senna Challenges, which place gamers in the same courses driven by Senna, challenging them to beat his legendary lap times. The update includes:

· Lotus 97T

o Course: Monza ’85 layout

o Target Time: Senna’s pole position time 1’25.084

· Lotus 97T

o Course: Brands Hatch ’85 layout

o Target Time: Senna’s pole position time 1’07.169

“To racing fans around the world, the name Senna evokes a range of emotions. This speaks volumes about what Ayrton Senna represents to so many people. For me, he is a personal hero: someone who inspired me to go on the course I am on today,” said Kazunori Yamauchi, creator of Gran Turismo and President of Polyphony Digital, Inc. “I am honored to be able to introduce him to the younger generation of racing fans through Gran Turismo. I feel it is a responsibility and privilege to continue his work and legacy through the Ayrton Senna Institute and am grateful to be able to do my part in fulfilling his wish to improve the lives of the millions of children who are supported by the Institute.

The Senna update is the continuation of the partnership announced at the Brazil Game Show in 2013 between the Gran Turismo franchise and the Ayrton Senna Institute. The partnership celebrates the life and achievements of Ayrton Senna by immortalizing his career in the world’s best-selling racing franchise, and more significantly, benefits the non-profit organization that is shaping the lives of millions of children in Brazil.

Since its establishment, schools supported by the Institute have spread to approximately 25 percent of the cities in all of Brazil, giving more than 17 million children an opportunity to achieve literacy and receive education directly. The Institute has trained over 750,000 teachers with their educational programs.

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of Senna’s legacy on May 1, Gran Turismo and IAS launched a tribute site that allows fans to follow the life of the famous race car driver through videos and a two-part slideshow that includes personal photos leading up to the in-game update on May 27. Fans can find a short film called “Ayrton’s Wish” documenting how the IAS has carried out Senna’s dream to make education attainable for children and young adults in Brazil.

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