http://www.gran-turismo.com/jp/sp/detail.do?article_id=306
Sébastien Loeb, one of the most famous French rally drivers, visited Polyphony Digital in Japan to join the time-attack event for GT4 Online Public Beta on Aug. 26, 2006 (the beta itself is already over now). He visited Japan for WRC Round 11 Rally Japan in Hokkaido in the beginning of September.
Last year he won Rally of Turkey but canceled the press conference to go back from the rally's podium to France by a private jet since the qualification test for the Le Mans 24 Hours race was on the same day.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/4614345.stm
http://www.eurosport.com/rally/turkey/2005/sport_sto726934.shtml
He could complete the test laps at the Sarthe circuit 21 seconds before the test-day deadline. How could he do that even though he had not driven on the Sarthe circuit? He practiced it on GT4 in his private jet to France!
http://www.sebastienloeb.com/html/archives-actu/031-24hdumans.htm
In this movie (WMV stream) about his visit to Polyphony Digital, you can see his private jet and the PS2 in action.
http://access.scej-online.jp/counter/gt4/060907_gt4ol_loeb_live.wvx
This video shows his arrival at the Narita Intl. Airport in Tokyo, his trip from Turkey to the Sarthe circuit, and the time-attack event at the Polyphony Digital office. The course is the Sarthe circuit with the same car he used for Le Mans 24 Hours on GT4 Online. At the first run he went out of the course and the producer Kazunori Yamauchi cut the session for retry. In the third attack Loeb could get 3'11"298. Excited Yamauchi joined the session and could get 3'11"696. But the online user "YAM23" could score 3'8"968! Loeb was apparently impressed and did analysis of the replay. Loeb was at the 10th in the ranking and Yamauchi was at the 11th.
Replay of Loeb's time-attack
http://access.scej-online.jp/counter/gt4/sloeb_main.wvx
http://access.scej-online.jp/counter/gt4/sloeb_sub.wvx
Replay of YAM23
http://access.scej-online.jp/counter/gt4/sloeb_yam23.wvx
Replay of Kazunori Yamauchi
http://access.scej-online.jp/counter/gt4/sloeb_yamauchi.wvx
In his blog he mentions his visit to Polyphony.
http://www.sebastienloeb.com/html/actu/impressions.htm
Sébastien Loeb won Rally Japan on Sep. 3 and became the driver with the most (27) WRC victories.
http://www.sebastienloeb.com/html/galerie-japon2006.htm
Sébastien Loeb, one of the most famous French rally drivers, visited Polyphony Digital in Japan to join the time-attack event for GT4 Online Public Beta on Aug. 26, 2006 (the beta itself is already over now). He visited Japan for WRC Round 11 Rally Japan in Hokkaido in the beginning of September.
Last year he won Rally of Turkey but canceled the press conference to go back from the rally's podium to France by a private jet since the qualification test for the Le Mans 24 Hours race was on the same day.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/4614345.stm
http://www.eurosport.com/rally/turkey/2005/sport_sto726934.shtml
He could complete the test laps at the Sarthe circuit 21 seconds before the test-day deadline. How could he do that even though he had not driven on the Sarthe circuit? He practiced it on GT4 in his private jet to France!
http://www.sebastienloeb.com/html/archives-actu/031-24hdumans.htm
In this movie (WMV stream) about his visit to Polyphony Digital, you can see his private jet and the PS2 in action.
http://access.scej-online.jp/counter/gt4/060907_gt4ol_loeb_live.wvx
This video shows his arrival at the Narita Intl. Airport in Tokyo, his trip from Turkey to the Sarthe circuit, and the time-attack event at the Polyphony Digital office. The course is the Sarthe circuit with the same car he used for Le Mans 24 Hours on GT4 Online. At the first run he went out of the course and the producer Kazunori Yamauchi cut the session for retry. In the third attack Loeb could get 3'11"298. Excited Yamauchi joined the session and could get 3'11"696. But the online user "YAM23" could score 3'8"968! Loeb was apparently impressed and did analysis of the replay. Loeb was at the 10th in the ranking and Yamauchi was at the 11th.
Replay of Loeb's time-attack
http://access.scej-online.jp/counter/gt4/sloeb_main.wvx
http://access.scej-online.jp/counter/gt4/sloeb_sub.wvx
Replay of YAM23
http://access.scej-online.jp/counter/gt4/sloeb_yam23.wvx
Replay of Kazunori Yamauchi
http://access.scej-online.jp/counter/gt4/sloeb_yamauchi.wvx
In his blog he mentions his visit to Polyphony.
http://www.sebastienloeb.com/html/actu/impressions.htm
29 et 30 août : les reconnaissances
...
Sinon, j’ai fait un truc sympa hier. PlayStation m’a fait visiter le studio où ils sont en train de réaliser le prochain Gran Turismo pour la PS3. C’est très impressionnant, le studio est composé d’une centaine de personnes qui travaillent quasiment 24h/24. Lorsque tu te balades dans les bureaux, tu vois des matelas et des sacs de couchage trainer un peu partout. Le créateur du jeu m’a raconté que pour la réalisation du premier Gran Turismo, il leur avait fallut un an à 10 personnes, et que pendant cette année, il n’était rentré chez lui que 4 jours ! C’est vraiment une mentalité à part !
Sébastien Loeb won Rally Japan on Sep. 3 and became the driver with the most (27) WRC victories.
http://www.sebastienloeb.com/html/galerie-japon2006.htm