It was an innocent question of “Any chance I could drive your car?”. An ambitious question , that invited a response I wasn’t quite expecting.
The next day, after an hour briefing, I was strapped into the clean cut innards of Yuey Tan’s all new Porsche 991 GT3 Cup Car. After 4 days of the official PCCA Testing, any driver, their Engineer and Mechanics, bar themselves, anyone driving their prized possession before a big weekend, is a sensitive issue, and rightly so.
Once I was prepped on how to move out of the pits, where to brake, keeping my tires up to temperature and my lines around other cup cars, I was on the roll. For some reason, any moment that I have ever driven out of the pit lane in a different car, the biggest pressure in front of an audience, is always the first 20m.
Having tested, in the Honda FD2R for the Malaysian Super Series at Sepang, couple of days prior I still had fresh memory of what was expected on and off the track. I (only) had 7 laps, to feel the raw power of 460HP and I made sure that I made good use of my time. Not in any way taking unnecessary risks, by pushing beyond my current capabilities, I was braking a little earlier, having ample time to brake into the corners and click down on the flappy pedal. What a rush of adrenaline through my veins as I came down the longest straights of Sepang, on 6th gear, anticipating the 15th and last turn. Nothing can prepare you for the intense climax as the massive steel brakes, unaided by ABS, brings your mind back into that out of body experience.
Now that I’ve taken a breath after reliving that moment, it only elevated my respect for these sportsmen, who push the boundaries. Every mental compartment has to be able to calculate and process as fast as it takes the winner to win by a tenth of a second. In other words, there is no time to think things through.They have to be able to know and apply, because the chequered flag is ready to catch any of them by surprise. A tenth lost in each corner, is 1.5 seconds in 15 turns at Sepang! I’ve been told that there will be more time to think things through when I get more mileage.
I haven’t heard what the word is with the drivers on the differences between the 997 and 991, but I have heard the car requires a lot more precision, it is more aerodynamically efficient and more stable through the corners. Largely changed by a 20mm increase in the front width , a 10mm increase in the rear width and a 100mm increase in the wheel base.
You can teach anyone to drive, but to be good, is the one who has prepared and has had enough mileage. To top it off, some talent. I feel very privileged to have had this unmatched experience, for now, its time to get back to my Honda FD2R.
