DRIVEN TO GLORY
Immerse yourself in the drama and embrace the sensation of spectacular action racing in the Driven to Glory story mode
THE CHARACTERS
Get to know the faces of the GRID World Series, from Ravenwest's to Valentin Manzi, played by Ncuti Gatwa
Valentin Manzi
Age: 24
Position within GRID: Driver for Voltz Racing
Nationality: Scottish/Rwandan
Valentin’s rise to elite motorsport is certainly an unlikely one. Part of a Rwandan family who moved to Scotland in the 1980s, racing wasn’t exactly in his blood, nor was he surrounded by opportunities to get behind a wheel.
However, a trip to a tiny go-kart track as a child ignited a passion, and Valentin’s rare visits back to Rwanda included wild demolition derby races on dirt tracks. Manzi’s love for racing consumed his formative years, though his cheeky demeanour and are equally responsible for him reaching the GRID World Series. Valentin competed in a motorsport-based talent show, with young drivers battling for race seats and for public adoration. Manzi’s talent and personality caught the eye of energy drinks company Voltz, who recruited him for their racing team’s debut season in the World Series.
Whilst Voltz and Valentin were initially focused less on race wins and more on cashflow and positive PR, the youngster is becoming an unlikely contender at the front of the field. The likes of Nathan McKane suddenly have a new rival not just on the track, but in the stands and the merch stalls, too. As you can imagine, Nate isn’t taking this too well…
Get into the mind of a GRID Legend - featuring Valentin and the Tushek TS 900 - with Man. Machine here.
Nathan McKane
Age: 33
Position within GRID: #1 Driver for Ravenwest Motorsport
Nationality: USA
Known as ‘Nate’ by his legion of fans, Nathan McKane has taken an already-revered name in the world of racing to new levels of success. The undisputed driver to beat in the GRID World Series, Nate is the son of top driver Donnie McKane and the nephew of Ryan, who runs Ravenwest Motorsport. Driving for his uncle’s team, Nate has notched up five consecutive World Series titles and continued Ravenwest’s motorsport dominance.
Despite his success and stardom, the journey for Nathan has not been without challenges and controversy. Constantly racing with a chip on his shoulder, due to family expectations and media whispers of favouritism, McKane’s ‘take no prisoners’ driving style has drawn disapproval, but his superstar status in the motorsport world usurps the criticism.
Nathan’s drive to keep him and Ravenwest at the top has created tension across the paddock, with his fierce temper unsettling the rest of the pack. Any new challenger looking to dethrone Nate will need to overcome his incredible talent, significant Ravenwest backing, and his ruthless tactics. Better you than me, pal.
Ryan McKane
Age: 55
Position within GRID: Manager of Ravenwest Motorsport
Nationality: USA
The team owner of the infamous Ravenwest Motorsport, Ryan McKane is continuing a legacy that he’s been hell-bent on creating since childhood. An on-track incident that took the life of Ryan’s father, Kyle, has always lit a fire under Ryan to succeed in the world of motorsport – by any means necessary.
Ryan was a formidable driver in his own right, overcoming a tough upbringing and no financial backing by earning his stripes in the ever-combative touring car disciplines, before rising to the top of the GRID World Series. Ryan’s talent and grit helped establish not just himself as a legend, but also Ravenwest Motorsport. Acting as a mentor – though also a rival – to nephew Nathan McKane towards the end of his career, Ryan then retired from racing and immediately took the helm at Ravenwest.
Whilst there has always been animosity and tension in the McKane family, Ravenwest – and its relentless World Series success – is what keeps them together. Now with Ryan in charge, the team are more dominant than ever thanks to huge cashflow, top drivers, and that McKane ‘win at all costs’ approach. For some drivers, racing for Ravenwest is the goal. For others, it’s all about knocking them off their perch.
Lara Carvalho
Age: 22
Position within GRID: #2 Driver for Ravenwest Motorsport
Nationality: Brazilian
Is there a greater prodigy in the world of motorsport right now than Lara Carvalho? The Brazilian driver has been tearing up tracks across the globe, leading to a stunning offer from Ravenwest Motorsport – an opportunity given to a handful of drivers per generation.
From an early age, Lara’s father helped fuel her love of racing, as they tinkered with cars on the coast of Brazil. When she wasn’t at school Carvalho would either be wielding a wrench or testing cars for herself on dirt tracks. Lara would begin her career in rallying, but quickly branched out to other disciplines, determined to earn winnings to support her family and father, who suffered a debilitating accident.
First scouted by Marcus Ado, Seneca Racing agreed a GRID World Series contract with Lara, only for Ravenwest to swoop in late with an offer she couldn’t refuse. Despite the claims of nepotism and nefarious tactics at Ravenwest, Lara appears less willing than her predecessors to ‘play the game’ and has her eyes set on World Series glory. Could the McKane family’s biggest threat be from within their own team?
Yume Tanaka
Age: 29
Position within GRID: #1 Driver for Seneca Racing
Nationality: Japanese
A true racing daredevil. That’s how most of the paddock perceive Yume Tanaka: a respected and inspirational figure in elite motorsport.
Always on the lookout for the next big thrill, Yume’s teenage years in Japan were filled with adrenaline-fueled antics. Her thrill of choice was often tagging along to secret touge events in the mountains, eventually taking the wheel herself and learning the craft of precise drifting, sliding down tight and twisting routes. This was the very beginning of a sensational drift racing career, as Yume conquered Japan, Asia, and the world in professional drift events.
Tanaka was always keen to stress that her driving ability went beyond drifting – an opinion that Seneca Racing boss Marcus Ado agreed with, offering her a deal to enter the GRID World Series. A confident, sharp and unshakable driver, Yume is as well placed as anyone to challenge Ravenwest for the World Series title, and is dead-set on toppling the dominance of the McKanes.
Claire Webb
Age: 29
Position within GRID: TV presenter and Journalist
Nationality: Scottish
Claire Webb has quickly established herself as a respected and talented media figure in the GRID World Series paddock, capable of conducting the most candid interviews or the most shocking of exposes in equal measure.
Establishing a reputation in her native Scotland, as a journalist working across national sport, Claire mixed her strong work on and off the screen with raising awareness and funds for local youth sports facilities. Her love of motor racing and investigative ability would be what brought her to the attention of the GRID World Series, as Claire led a stunning documentary on a scandal within touring car racing.
Webb joined the GRID World Series beat on talent, but also with an eye on keeping the series in check, with rumours of shady tactics surrounding Ravenwest Motorsport. For GRID fans, Claire is the leading impartial voice for insight and analysis, as one of the most anticipated World Series in history gets underway.
Marcus Ado
Age: 38
Position within GRID: Team Principal for Seneca Racing
Nationality: English/Nigerian
Handling a business in a frantic environment is nothing new for Marcus Ado, the team boss of Seneca Racing. At an early age, Ado was helping at his family’s Nigerian restaurant in London, managing everything from balancing the books to throwing drunken punters out on Saturday nights.
Marcus also knew he was capable of much more, though, and has his sights set on his true love: motorsport. Between travelling to races across England and excelling in a business studies degree at university, Ado’s blend of passion, statistics, and organisation made him ready for the world of motorsport management. Throwing himself at the challenge of reviving the struggling Seneca, Marcus has stabilised finances, reset the focus of the team, and recruited top talents like driver Yume Tanaka and mechanic Ajeet Singh.
Whilst Marcus has successfully turned the ship for Seneca, with them now a respected GRID World Series outfit, they’re still not a force to be reckoned with and are worryingly low on drivers to turn to this season. They’re missing a generational talent behind the wheel, who can show the true potential of Seneca across all forms of motorsport. Sound like anyone you know?
Ajeet Singh
Age: 27
Position within GRID: Engineer for Seneca Racing
Nationality: English
If you want your race car to be set up for success, there’s nobody better to have in your garage than Ajeet. It’s that simple. Singh’s excellent work for Seneca Racing has quickly given him this reputation in the paddock, and his famous line in a recent interview is regularly repeated in the pits: “If it’s GRID-legal, I can build it to win.”
Ajeet’s interest in racing has been clear in his teenage years, but whilst most motorsport fanatics gravitate towards becoming a driver, the Londoner was fascinated with engineering. Modding and tuning his first car, his friends’ machines, and even the family car, Singh was destined to succeed in the field, and blitzed his engineering degree at university. Recording success across touring car racing, Ajeet soon joined old friend Marcus Ado at Seneca Racing, and is revelling in the chance to work on cars for multiple GRID World Series disciplines.
On top of his clear talent, Ajeet is a likeable and hard-working pillar of the team, often the source of moral support and direction for his colleagues. Seneca are desperate to give him the tools – pun intended – to develop title-winning cars.