From simulator to the Red Bull Ring: Jayden Harrison takes Jamaican motorsport into new territory

KINGSTON, Jamaica — For more than five years, Jayden Harrison has been doing what many racing drivers do long before they get behind the wheel of a real car: learning the track, studying the data and honing his craft. The difference is that Harrison has been doing it largely from behind a simulator. Next month, the Jamaican professional simulation racer will take that experience into the real world, becoming the first Jamaican to transition from motorsport simulation into an actual race car at an international racing event.

Harrison is set to represent Jamaica in the 992 Porsche Time Trials at the Red Bull Ring in Austria, where he will spend two days driving a multi-million-dollar Porsche GT3 Cup car around one of Europe's best-known racing circuits. And for a driver who has had only one previous experience in a real race car, the opportunity represents much more than another competition. Stephen Gunther addressing the media at a press conference announcing Jayden Harrison's plans for the Red Bull Ring in Austria in mid-September “It is a huge step for me and for motorsports in Jamaica as it may show how useful it can be to start training on a simulator platform in Jamaica,” Harrison said.

For years, Harrison has developed his skills in the simulation environment, while also helping other local “sim” racers improve their confidence and technical understanding, including car set-up and data analysis. He sees simulation racing as more than entertainment. “It is a great preparation tool for real-world racing,” he said.

“Now I am getting the opportunity to take those skills from the simulator to a real-world test in a Porsche GT3 Cup car. It is a huge step for me and for motorsports in Jamaica,” he said. The opportunity has been made possible by S Hotel Kingston, which is sponsoring Harrison's Austrian test and putting its brand behind what could become a defining moment for Jamaican motorsport and, ultimately, tourism.

For Harrison, that support is also a boost for the local simulation community and other drivers hoping to make the same difficult transition. “A lot of drivers don't take simulation racing as seriously as it should be, so this test might change that, or make a bigger step toward that,” he said. “It will also be a good boost to the local simulation drivers here, seeing another one of them get the chance to drive internationally.” There is also a…