The next exercise was a slalom. First, we watched the instructor demonstrate, then received instructions to focus on weight transfer. The key, we were told, was to make the sequence of accelerating, lifting off, and turning flow rhythmically, moving in sync with the car.
Can I really do this?… (-_-)
To feel the difference in the car’s behavior between first and second gear, we started in first. (Those with PDK were asked to use manual mode.) On my first run, I was so busy avoiding the cones in front of me that I didn’t even have time to check my speed.
I glanced at the speed near the end and saw that I was going just 40 km/h. It had felt like I was doing at least 50 km/h, which made me realize how hard it was to build up speed once I actually got behind the wheel.
“Rather than lifting off the throttle abruptly, try doing it more gradually. And, as before, turn the wheel more. Don’t be afraid—make a wider turn and feel how the car leans from side to side!”
There was a lot to think about, but I watched the other participants and visualized how I’d tackle the course. Then I focused on the advice I’d been given and tried again.
“That’s good! Now let’s pick up the speed. Next, try driving in second gear!”
“Oh, now there’s even more to think about!” I thought. But when I tried second gear, I noticed the engine braking was weaker than in first, giving the exercise a different rhythm. And every time I lifted off the throttle, the GTS’s “brrr-brrr-brrr” exhaust note echoed around the course. It felt amazing…
I was totally in the mindset of a racer attacking a series of corners! (Haha!)
Then the instructor offered this advice to the whole group:
Everyone is leaning forward and clinging to the steering wheel, so you’re having to support your arms and body as well as turn the wheel—and that’s keeping your steering from being smooth.
I think you’re pulling on the wheel when you turn, but you should push the steering wheel, not pull it. Press your back against the seat to keep yourself planted, brace your left foot against the footrest, and focus on pushing the wheel. You’ll find it easier to steer smoothly.
Everyone tried it as instructed, and steering became astonishingly easier. From that point on, the whole group’s driving improved dramatically.
Instructors really are amazing…!(Well, of course they are.)
We must have done the slalom more than ten times. As with the previous exercise, the more we repeated it, the more I had moments where I thought, “Ah, that was good!” It felt great when I moved in sync with the car and drove with a nice rhythm.
At the same time, I was reminded just how difficult it is to recreate a good run and improve your precision. After the slalom, the instructor summed things up again:
By the end, everyone had started to get the feel for it, but on your first and second runs, the good driving you’d achieved in the lane-change exercise disappeared, and you went back to your old habits. On a circuit, you don’t have time to practice lap after lap until you improve your precision. You need to put in your best performance from the very first lap.
So, in this afternoon’s exercises, do your best to remember how this feels and deliver that same performance right from the start.
That makes sense… It really does. I’m not going to race, but I still thought, “If I’m lucky enough to own a Porsche with such incredible performance, I want to make the most of it and be able to drive consistently, whatever the situation.”
That brought the morning program to a close, and we broke for lunch. I was already pretty tired, but it was the good kind of tired. We’d started to feel like a team, and it almost felt like I was at a sports-club training camp—a strange feeling. (Though I’ve never belonged to a club, so I have no idea what that’s really like.)
I’ll cover the afternoon’s training in the second part of this article, which I’ll share soon. That’s all for today.
→To be continued… https://www.panamera-life.com/entry/boxster-porsche-truck-experience-2/