You’ve seen the videos on YouTube. No, not the endless loop of Mustangs crashing into crowds. The related videos that show up in that group, where new supercar owners quickly learn money doesn’t buy talent. However, it can buy you training with Porsche through the Porsche Track Experience (PTX), a program that’s been around since 1974.
Ordinarily, you sign up for lessons and get training in a variety of Porsche vehicles. But for the first time in its history, there’s a new series dedicated to just one vehicle.
Hopelessly Devoted To 911 GT3
Despite the influx of SUVs, sedans, and EVs, the 911 is still Porsche’s crown jewel. It’s also one of the trickiest cars to drive, thanks to its engine being mounted behind the rear axle. That’s a lot of weight hanging out back there, and while Porsche has steadily improved the 911’s handling characteristics through the decades (with plenty of help from driver assists), it can still bite the unsuspecting driver with surprise oversteer.
There are faster 911s in the family than the track-loving GT3, but it’s the darling that loves to dance the most. Modern GT3s are fairly easy to drive, but difficult to drive well and even tougher to master. Porsche wants GT3 owners to get the most out of their car, lest they end up in a series of unflattering YouTube shorts smacking a light pole. So the Porsche Track Experience now has an entire curriculum dedicated solely to mastering the GT3.
“The 911 GT3 doesn’t just promise, but delivers a motorsport-derived driving experience, one that’s rooted in real world competition. The best way to truly appreciate what makes a GT3 special is from behind the wheel, and there is no better place to do that than on a racetrack with professional instruction.”
-Timo Resch, President and CEO of Porsche Cars North America
What Do GT3 Drivers Get From This?
Porsche 911 GT3 Porsche Track ExperiencePorsche
The PTX is typically offered in a range of programs, starting with a one-day basic course and ranging up to three-day master-level training. Exclusive to the GT3 are two additional courses, starting with GT Drift. It’s only a half-day program, but it’s as fun as it sounds. According to Porsche, drivers will be “mastering car control when the rear and front tires are no longer traveling in the same direction.” A short classroom session is followed by trail braking, car rotation, and drifting practice on the track. It’s not a bad way to spend $1,500.
But the 911 GT3 is designed to carve tracks, not smoke them. That’s where the Masters GT course comes in. It’s a three-day advanced training program that is only unlocked once participants complete Porsche’s general Masters RS course. Getting the absolute most of the GT3 on a race track is the goal, accomplished through track time and personal coaching. The price tag is steep – $23,000 to be specific, and that doesn’t include money spent on the Masters RS prerequisite. But when you’re done, you should be race ready.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
Frankly, we wish even basic performance driving classes were mandatory for all drivers. You’ll never learn more about your own skill as a driver and how to handle emergency situations than you will with even just a half-day on a race track. Pushing the car to the limit and beyond in a safe environment, with someone experiened pointing out your mistakes, would be the single best thing to reducing accidents on US roads.
Of course, GT3 training goes way beyond the basics, and it’s certainly money in Porsche’s pocket. But it’s nice to see a Porsche actively helping owners get the most out of their purchases.
The new 911 GT3 training programs are held at the Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama, starting in 2027.
