There’s a Proper Form to Driving Sports Cars

My husband often says this:

Driving a sports car is just like playing a sport. In sports like tennis, golf, or baseball, there’s a fundamental form everyone learns first. People practice it repeatedly until it becomes second nature and they improve.
But when it comes to driving sports cars, many people just wing it without learning the basics, right?
Especially the driving position—so many people have it all wrong. It’s like holding a bat or racket in a weird way in sports.
If you learn properly at a driving school, you can drive faster and safer. Especially with high-performance cars like Porsches, the driver’s skill can make the same car feel completely different, so I sometimes think it’s such a waste not to learn properly.

He says.

In fact, since buying his first Porsche, a Boxster GTS (981) in 2015, my husband has attended Porsche driving schools many times. He went so often that I used to half-jokingly say, “Why do you keep going so many times? What’s your goal, seriously? lol”

*Image source: Porsche Japan “Porsche Track Experience”

He has completed the programs up to “Warm UP,” “Precision,” “Performance,” and “Master”. Apparently, he finished “Master” with a 4.0/5.0 rating, which is quite good. The only ones left are “Fast Track” and “Porsche Motorsports,” but the last one involves entering the Porsche Carrera Cup, so realistically, “Fast Track” is probably the final step.

I used to be a bit exasperated, but recently, when I rode shotgun in his 911 (991.1), I thought again, “When a husband drives a sports car like a Porsche and the wife rides shotgun, it really matters that he’s a skilled driver.”

Because sitting in the passenger seat of a sports car—which isn’t very comfortable to begin with—is actually more stressful than drivers realize.

My Husband’s Driving Skill Matters

Sports cars generally have stiff suspensions, louder road noise than regular cars, harsh jolts from uneven roads, limited visibility, and even grabbing a drink from the cup holder can be a challenge. For a wife just sitting in the passenger seat, these things can quickly add up to frustration. (By contrast, Panamera, Cayenne, and Macan offer very comfortable rides.)

On top of that, if my husband drives roughly or his throttle and brake inputs aren’t smooth, I can honestly get motion sick on certain roads.

And when I’m feeling a bit off but glance over to see him having the time of his life behind the wheel, it’s no wonder my chatter fades, my expression goes blank, and my mood plummets.

That said, I think this can often be improved by the husband’s driving skill. I felt this clearly when I recently rode in a base model 991 early 911 driven by my husband.

It might sound odd to say my husband is a “good driver,” but I do think he is. And good drivers generally drive smoothly. Their handling and throttle/brake inputs are free of forced or sudden moves. Yet they’re fast. So you can enjoy the thrilling engine sound and speed of a sports car without fear or motion sickness, even on winding roads.

On the other hand, if a driver suddenly jerks the wheel into a corner, the passenger gets tossed side to side and feels sick easily. If throttle and brake inputs are too on/off instead of gradual, every time there’s a jolt forward or backward, it’s unpleasant.

And that kind of driving is just plain scary.

While the driver might feel they’re mastering the sports car and having fun, it’s the opposite for the passenger.

I’m sure that to truly drive a sports car like a Porsche safely and fast, your driving naturally becomes smooth. And that leads to kinder driving for both the car and the passenger.

I once experienced an instructor’s driving at a school, and was amazed at how smooth yet dynamic it was.

I’m not saying every husband who drives a sports car should go to a driving school, but if they could drive with their passenger’s comfort in mind, I think their wives would be more likely to say, “I want to enjoy driving with my husband more,” and maybe even develop some interest in cars. That’s what I’ve been thinking lately.