Driving at Fuji Speedway

In June this year, I had the chance to drive on the circuit for the first time at the “Porsche Experience Day” event held at Fuji Speedway. Since “opportunities to drive a Panamera on a circuit are rare,” I lined up early before the event started, secured one of the 70 tickets available, and completed two laps around Fuji Speedway. Driving in a convoy of 70 cars meant the pace was relatively slow, but I was more than satisfied with the circuit driving experience.

That said, at key corners, I felt centrifugal forces I’d never experienced before and thought, “So this is what it means to not be able to make a turn!” which was a bit scary. I also got flustered trying to figure out the right braking timing, making me realize just how unskilled I am behind the wheel (lol).

Enjoying Both City Driving and the Circuit

Yesterday, I conducted the fourth interview for this blog. The person I spoke with is a passionate car enthusiast who has fallen in love with circuit driving and participates in races almost every week. When I asked, “They say Porsche is a car you can enjoy both on city streets and on the circuit. Is that true?”, he replied, “Absolutely. No doubt about it.”

He also mentioned that many of his circuit-driving friends initially drove other brands but ultimately switched to Porsche. And once they switch, they rarely stray—they tend to stick with Porsche for all their racing activities. When I asked, “Is driving a Porsche on the circuit really that much fun?”, he enthusiastically shared what makes Porsche so special on the track.

① Circuit Driving Possible Without Modifications

He has driven on circuits in BMWs and Ferraris before, but even with an M3, some level of modification (or tuning, perhaps?) is necessary. As for Ferrari, taking a street-driven car straight to the circuit isn’t very exciting; tuning is required.

However, Porsche apparently requires no modifications at all. The official website’s tagline, “Drive on the Nürburgring, then go shopping,” perfectly sums it up. You can take a car you drive on the street straight to the circuit, and it will fully demonstrate its performance, delivering a fun and thrilling driving experience. This is something you just don’t see with other manufacturers.

② Exceptional Durability

When racing alongside BMWs, the first lap is usually a close contest, but over time, the gap widens. This isn’t due to driving skill but rather Porsche’s superior durability. No matter how much you drive, Porsche’s oil and water temperatures remain stable, allowing you to maintain lap times consistent with your first lap, even after many laps.

③ High Performance as a Sports Car

At first glance, it’s hard to spot differences in specs compared to other brands. But you can feel the German craftsmanship… The performance is truly impressive. With an engine that revs smoothly and the unique steering feel characteristic of German cars, he truly feels Porsche is a sports car manufacturer through and through. He suspects that Porsche invests heavily in unseen parts and internal components.

I Want to Drive on the Circuit

Lately, I’ve been hearing more and more stories around me about “I drove on the circuit” or “I got hooked on circuit driving.” While Porsche is a car you can enjoy on public roads and on the circuit, it’s only when you take it to the circuit that you can truly unleash its full potential. Especially the GT models. I want to practice circuit driving on Gran Turismo on PlayStation, memorize the course well, and then experience driving on the circuit again… Well, first I need to learn how to drive the Boxster with a manual transmission.

I’ll do my best!