Jann Mardenborough is a British professional racer who rose to fame after winning the GT Academy competition in 2011. Despite having no prior racing experience, Mardenborough impressed with his video game skills and went on to secure a contract to race for Nissan.
Over the next decade, he competed across various championships like Le Mans, British GT, and Super GT in Japan. Mardenborough also had a brief stint in open-wheel racing in GP3 and Formula 3.
His journey from gaming to becoming a real-life racer was captured in the 2023 film ‘Gran Turismo’. Now 32, Mardenborough remains one of the most recognizable names in motorsports originating from esports.
Nationality | British |
Ethnicity | Saint Kitts and Nevis descent |
Favorite Color | Purple |
Favorite Track | Nürburgirng |
Favorite YouTube Channel | Bald and Bankrupt |
Jann Mardenborough Wife, Parents, and Family
Jann Mardenborough was born in Darlington, England to father Steve Mardenborough, a footballer, and mother Lesley-Anne Mardenborough.
He moved to Cardiff, Wales during his childhood as his dad played for various football clubs in the region. Jann has a younger brother named Coby.
Details on his extended family including grandparents are not known. Jann Mardenborough is currently believed to be single and does not have a wife or children yet.
Steve Mardenborough | Father |
Lesley-Anne Mardenborough | Mother |
Coby Mardenborough | Younger Brother |
Jann Mardenborough Net Worth
As a professional racer contracted by Nissan since 2011, Jann Mardenborough has had his income come from driving and racing fees over a decade-long career.
He has raced across championships like Le Mans, British GT, Super GT Japan as well as brief stints in Formula 3 and GP3. With multiple podium finishes and a race win in the GT300 class in 2016, Mardenborough would have received handsome payouts.
Additional income would have come from brand sponsorships and endorsements as an internationally recognized racing driver. However, exact details on his cumulative career earnings or current net worth are not publicly available.
Net Worth | Not Available |
Monthly Salary | Not Available |
Jann Mardenborough Height and Appearance
Jann Mardenborough is a fit racing driver with an athletic frame standing at 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm) tall. Reports suggest he maintains a weight of around 70 kgs to suit the demands of professional racing across categories like Le Mans and Super GT.
Height | 5 feet 9 inches |
Weight | Around 70 kgs |
Hair Color | Dark brown |
Eye Color | Dark brown |
Tattoo | Left shoulder |
His Racing Journey
Jann Mardenborough was an avid video game player before he won Nissan’s GT Academy competition in 2011 which kickstarted his professional racing career.
Since then, he has participated across championships like Le Mans, Dubai 24H, British GT and Super GT Japan for over a decade, driving for Nissan.
His standout achievements include winning his first-ever race at Silverstone in the GT Academy, securing a podium in the Spa 24 Hours race and winning the Fuji 500 km race in Super GT Japan GT300 class in 2016.
He has also raced Formula 3 and GP3 briefly. Mardenborough’s unique journey from gaming amateur to internationally-renowned driver culminating with the 2023 film ‘Gran Turismo’ based on his life story.
Jann Mardenborough Crash and Accident
The biggest controversy in Jann Mardenborough’s motor racing career came in 2015 during a VLN endurance race at Nürburgring when he crashed his Nissan GT3 car into the spectator stands.
The incident killed one person and left others injured. While the exact cause behind the crash was not revealed, it raised concerns and criticism over racing safety norms being followed.
Mardenborough expressed grief but continued his racing commitments with Nissan over the next few years. Also check out Tom MacDonald and Ashanti story who are famous American singer.
In more recent news, after a two-year break from racing, Mardenborough made his return in 2023 with the Fuji 24 Hours race as part of Helm Motorsports. Though his team led the majority of the event, they finished fourth but his comeback brought optimism.
FAQs
Jann Mardenborough is from Darlington, County Durham in England though he spent parts of his childhood in Cardiff, Wales.
Mardenborough started out by winning Nissan’s 2011 GT Academy video game racing competition which secured him a contract to race professionally for Nissan.
He has raced in championships like Le Mans, Dubai 24H, British GT, Super GT Japan, Formula 3, and GP3 over his decade-long racing career.
As of 2024, he made a racing comeback by competing in the Fuji 24 Hours race as part of his return to racing after a two-year break.
Jann Mardenborough’s story stands testament to an incredible transition from a gaming fanatic to a real-life accomplished racer on the international circuits.
As he looks to restart his racing career at 32 after a break, the ever-friendly Briton still remains defined by his unbelievable journey fueled by passion and skills picked up from video games.