Next, we moved to the ABS braking station. The exercise was to brake hard from 80 km/h and steer around a pole. Before we started, we were told: “Press the brake as hard as you can and keep your foot down—don’t ease off partway through.”
I liked that we could get advice over the radio and also receive one-on-one guidance from Chief Instructor Tanaka through the window before each run.
We started by practicing at 50 km/h. It felt pretty slow, but I was still nervous and braked well before the braking marker. After a couple of runs at 50 km/h, Chief Instructor Tanaka advised me:
“Try to wait until you reach the braking marker before you brake. And when you first hit the pedal, press down harder with your foot.”
Then it was time to accelerate toward 80 km/h. I sped up to 80 km/h in the Panamera Turbo in Sport Plus mode, then slammed on the brakes!
This time, I managed it pretty well.
Everyone taking part was doing so well that even the instructor remarked:
“I’m not sure whether it’s your driving skills or the Porsches’ performance” (laughs) “but 80 km/h looks easy for everyone. Let’s try increasing your speed to around 83 km/h and move the braking point just a little farther ahead.”
I thought, “The hard braking is one thing, but getting to exactly 83 km/h is going to be tricky” (-_-).
This time, I pressed the Panamera’s accelerator harder than before. The acceleration was unlike anything I’d experienced. I was pushed back into my seat as the 4.0-liter V8 turbo roared, and the car even seemed to lift slightly as it shifted gears.
Th-this is scary… (ﾟдﾟ)!
“I don’t know how fast I’m going, but I’d better brake!” I thought, and slammed on the brakes—only to realize I’d hit them way too early because I was so scared. The instructor told me:
“You did well to pick up the speed, but you were so focused on that that you braked too early. Next time, try braking farther down the course!”
By this point, my palms were drenched in sweat, my jaw hurt from clenching my teeth, and I was completely drained. But I kept the advice in mind and braked hard farther down the course. I only just managed to avoid the pole.
“That’s good! Nice challenge! That was close!”
I hadn’t known this, but the hazard lights come on automatically when you brake hard.
I checked the meter later and saw that the exercise had reached “1G.” My husband said, “It’s impressive to get that much G-force in heavy rain. The braking was about the same as in the Boxster GTS on a dry day, and the Panamera’s acceleration G was much stronger.”
As far as I was concerned, I’d already had more than enough of full-force braking and just wanted it to be over (-_-). But we must have done about ten more runs. Each time, the instructor had more advice:
“That was good! You can still push further, though. Keep the same speed next time, but brake later! Try to push through until you feel scared!”
“Nice challenge! Next time, turn the steering wheel a little sooner so you can avoid the pole cleanly!”
I did my best to tackle each new challenge, but I was getting mentally exhausted. Then came the announcement:
“Okay! Whether you’re crying or laughing, there are just two runs left!”
Thank goodness… only two more.
But these really were our last two runs, so I decided to go for it: build more speed, brake hard later, and turn the steering wheel a little sooner. In the end, though, I clipped and hit the pole over and over! (laughs)
By the time the exercise ended, I was physically and mentally exhausted. But perhaps it was the adrenaline—I was incredibly excited. When my husband got back to the car, I told him:
“I got goosebumps! That was amazing! Seriously amazing!”
I kept repeating how amazing it was as I described what had happened. Then it was time for the last exercise of the day: the parade lap. The rain had become even heavier, and we heard an announcement that the PCCJ qualifying session had been cancelled.
Seriously? Would the parade lap be cancelled, too? After waiting for about 30 minutes, we were told that although the race had been called off, we could still do a parade lap at reduced speed. At last, we headed onto the circuit.
My husband was in the passenger seat. He spends a ridiculous amount of time driving around Fuji Speedway in racing games, so he kept saying things like:
“Normally, you’d brake hard here and aim for that orange marker!” “Follow the grass through this corner, then take as straight a line as possible to the next one…”
I ended up cornering a little out of sync with the rest of the group (laughs), but compared with my first time driving Fuji Speedway last year, I felt much more composed. Maybe I had the Porsche Track Experience to thank for that!
After three laps of the circuit, I was completely satisfied. Then I looked in the back seat and saw that the kids had somehow fallen fast asleep (laughs). I hurriedly got the baby carrier ready, picked up my younger daughter, and headed to the venue for the closing ceremony.
As I filled out the questionnaire at the closing ceremony, I chatted with the Twitter follower I’d met that day. “We’re exhausted, but that was so much fun!” we agreed. Then one of the instructors asked the whole group, “Did you enjoy yourselves today?”
Almost everyone raised a hand and answered, “Yes!”
And I wasn’t just being polite—it really was fun. It was scary, too, but the fun outweighed the fear. It’s not every day that grown adults get to feel this excited.
At the closing ceremony, they announced, “We’ll be giving out three commendation awards today.” I was listening absent-mindedly when, to my surprise, they called my name for the “Mobil 1 Award.” Chief Instructor Tanaka said:
“Nice work spinning the Panamera—that was a great challenge! And you’re the first person I’ve seen stand up here while carrying a child!” (laughs)
I was happy to hear “great challenge,” though honestly, I’d been absolutely terrified!
There was also an 83-year-old participant in our session, and he received an award. It was wonderful to see someone who, at 83, was still driving a Porsche and honing his skills at the Porsche Track Experience. I hope I can grow older with that same spirit.
Taking the Warm Up Light+ course at the Porsche Track Experience was both a lot of fun and a great learning experience. The fact that the program gives beginners such demanding exercises must reflect Porsche’s confidence in its cars’ capabilities—and in their ability to deliver a high level of safety in all kinds of conditions.
I also realized that until now, I’d been driving without really knowing what my Porsche was capable of. Even in heavy rain, the car could accelerate hard, brake firmly, and then steer around a pole. Porsche really is incredible.
The Panamera’s limits are much farther out than I’d imagined—several times farther, in fact.
At the same time, I’d never felt this scared while driving a car before. During the circle-driving exercise, I even found myself thinking, “Is this what it feels like just before you crash and die?” And the G-forces during full-force braking still give me goosebumps just thinking about them.
That’s exactly why I came away even more determined to drive safely every day.
And that evening, on the drive from Fuji Speedway to our hotel, I have to admit, I felt like I’d become a slightly better driver (laughs). My driving position was completely different from before, and the mountain road over the hills near Lake Yamanaka felt so much easier to drive. For the first time, I felt as though I was truly becoming one with the Panamera.
I’ve heard that some people start with the Porsche Track Experience “Warm Up” and eventually work their way up to racing in PCCJ (Porsche Carrera Cup Japan). That will never happen for me (full-force braking on a circuit is way too scary!), but I’d love to try the next-level program if I get the chance.
If you’re a Porsche owner—or hoping to become one—I highly recommend trying the Porsche Track Experience. It’s sure to make your Porsche life even more rewarding!
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