Warning: slight SPOILERS for Gran Turismo are in play. If you haven’t seen the movie yet, consider yourself warned.
Translating actual history into a cinematic narrative almost always leads to some embellishment of facts and events. Director Neill Blomkamp’s Gran Turismo certainly isn’t a project that’s immune to that sort of enterprise, but apparently there’s a major change that differs greatly from how things happened in real life. Or rather, the difference is in when things happened in the actual timeline of Jann Mardenborough’s career.
The Depiction Of Jann Mardenborogh’s Career In Gran Turismo’s Altered Timeline
There are two key events that Gran Turismo uses to dramatize the eventual success of Jann Mardenborough (Archie Madekwe). The first is his part on a racing team made up of three “sim drivers” during the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the second is a tragic accident while racing at Nürburgring Nordschleife, where a spectator was a result. Understanding how these events are framed in the film is important to the controversy that ensued.
In the cinematic world of Gran Turismo, Jann gets into this horrific accident and almost quits auto racing. Badly injured, and with feelings of guilt lingering even after being ruled as not at fault, the young racer has serious doubts. With the racing community seeming turned against sim drivers because of this death, the team of Mardenborough, Danny Moore (Orlando Bloom) and Jack Salter (David Harbour) decide to prove themselves by assembling a team and racing for at least a third place finish in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
As shown in the movie, it looks like Jann Mardenborough is inspired by the tragedy he encounters, and races for victory as a result. Even Gran Turismo’s trailer follows that roadmap, as it briefly touches upon those events without giving too many specifics. However, that’s not how it happened in real life, and that is where people have gotten a bit upset.
How Gran Turismo’s Real Story Actually Played Out
In reality, Jann Mardenborough’s Gran Turismo wreck happened two years after he placed third at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The triumphant finale of the film actually takes place in June 2013, as the team of Mardenborough, Lucas Ordóñez, and Michael Krumm secured a third place podium finish, as shown in the movie.
Which leaves the Nürburgring Nordschleife race also depicted in Gran Turismo as an event that actually took place in March 2015. In the true timeline of Jann Mardenborough’s racing career, this event wasn’t an inspiration for him to keep driving and win at Le Mans.
The proper timeline of events just doesn't support it, which could inspire the feeling that the way writers Jason Hall and Zach Baylin have chosen to depict history as potentially manipulative. Another big difference seems to crop up when you read into the BBC’s reporting of the incident, as the report describes Jann’s post-accident actions as follows:
The driver, Jann Mardenborough, got out of the car and, after initial checks in the circuit medical centre, has been taken to hospital for further routine checks.
In Gran Turismo’s cinematic incarnation, Jann is airlifted out of the course on a stretcher. With Jack Salter accompanying him, it’s supposed to be an emotional “dark hour of the soul,” which sees Archie Madekwe’s driver doubting if he can continue. But if that report above is any indication, the accident at Nürburgring Nordschleife may not have been as much of a setback as the picture makes it out to be.
As an invention for storytelling purposes, the changes to Jann Mardenborough’s story naturally work to get the crowd revved up for that final push to victory. It’s part of what our official Gran Turismo review cited as the strengths to the project, and even the critical reaction to Sony’s biographical drama seems to have dug that spirit as well.
Working better as a fictional construct, this inaccurate depiction of historical events is even more curious, as Mardenborough was pretty involved in the development of the movie. You can judge for yourself whether or not this switch up helps or hurts the story at hand, as Gran Turismo is set for its wide domestic release on August 25th. Audience members eager to see the film a bit earlier should check their local listings, as this weekend holds another handful of sneak preview events that grant early access to Neill Blomkamp’s latest feature.
