Porsche Track Experience

This weekend, my husband will be taking the Master course of Porsche’s driving school, Porsche Track Experience (PTE), at Fuji Speedway—in a GT3. According to the Porsche Japan website, there are currently seven course levels:

＊Source: Porsche Japan, “Porsche Track Experience”

Apparently, three more programs—Levels 8 through 10—were scheduled to be added in 2020. Since becoming a Porsche owner a few years ago, my husband has worked his way up from Level 1, Warm Up, and is now taking Level 6, the Master course.

I took a half-day Warm Up+ program held alongside a Porsche event, and I’m planning to take Level 2, Precision, this November.

Improving His Driving Skills

My husband doesn’t regularly race on track, and he’s not aiming to become a professional driver. So I wondered, why take a course as advanced as Level 6 Master? When I asked him, this is what he said:

When I’m driving at track days, I notice that a lot of people don’t have the basics down—and that includes me, of course. The people driving recklessly, in a way that might look aggressive at first, often don’t put down very good lap times.
But a long time ago, when I went to watch an F1 race, I was struck by how smoothly the top drivers drove. Schumacher’s driving, in particular, was clearly different, even to an amateur like me. He was incredibly smooth through the corners. And you need solid fundamentals to drive that smoothly, so I’d already decided that if I ever bought a Porsche, I’d take Porsche’s driving school.
I’ve driven on track in the Performance course, too, but Master lets you learn at a much more advanced level. I’m really looking forward to it.

That made sense. I asked, “But if you’re not going to race, why do you want to take it that far?”

I simply want to become a better driver. I want to drive quickly without putting too much strain on the car. I want to be smooth and fast without sudden steering or braking—without doing anything “suddenly.” If I can drive that way, I’ll be able to go even faster on track, and drive smoothly and quickly on regular roads, too, right?

Then I asked, “Okay, but what does that get you? What’s waiting for you once you’ve become a better driver? (-_-)”

Driving feels great when you’re good at it. And you can be gentler on the car, too. Besides, when I decide to do something, I want to see it through to the very end. If I’m going to do it, I want to reach the top. On the other hand, if I’m not interested in something, I don’t bother with it in the first place.

I see. Come to think of it, that’s exactly how my husband is. (laughs)

I have no plans to take things that far myself, but I’ll be going along as a guest for the Master course, so I’m looking forward to seeing what the program involves. That said, rain is in the forecast again this time… (-_-)