Porsche 911 European Delivery Part 2: Motorsport Week

The next phase of my trip was what I called "Motorsport Week." This part was all about getting the 911 on track in Europe and really learning how it handled. I'm a bit of a dork when it comes to track instruction, so I was on the lookout for opportunities to learn from professionals and improve my skills. Once I had my European delivery timing, I started researching racing schools and managed to line up three incredible experiences: Red Bull Ring, Spa-Francorchamps, and the Nürburgring during Touristenfahrten.

First up was Red Bull Ring, and this was truly an unforgettable experience. I’ve done a fair share of HPDE events in the U.S., but this one stood out for its professionalism and the expertise of the instructors, who really went in-depth on car control and dynamics. Rather than a lot of classroom sessions, most of the instruction was trackside or in-car, meaning I spent almost the entire day driving.

The day was a full eight-hour event, with about six hours on a smaller development track working through exercises and drills, and the remaining two+ hours of open lapping on the Red Bull Ring! By the end, I was so exhausted that I spent the last bit of time in the pit lanes just watching others fly by. It was an intense day, but absolutely worth it.

For the cost, it was also incredible value—around 600 euros for the day, which felt like a bargain for what we got. Since this was a driver training event rather than a standard open track day, we didn’t need helmets due to the modern, airbag-equipped cars we were all driving. That made the experience even better, as we could stay cooler and focus more on the driving itself.

Apparently, these slots can be hard to come by, with one guy trying for 2 years to secure this specific date, so I felt incredibly lucky to have gotten in. If you’re planning a European delivery, I highly recommend trying to line up a package at Red Bull Ring—it’s well worth the effort and the trip.

Here is information on the event that I did (Select the Gold Package): https://www.redbullring.com/en/experiences/drivingexperiences/en/tracks/driver-training-with-own-car/

The next stop during Motorsport Week was SPA/Francorchamps! I put two experiences together. One was an in-depth behind the scenes tour of the track and control. This was awesome, the facilities are incredible, and then this is culminated with a ride along in an Alpine A110 and then a couple parage laps in your own car. You are required to wear a helmet in the hot lap in the Alpine A110, and it was a tight fit for me at 6’4”. So be aware. Some people skipped this. The Parade lap was awesome, while they said we would keep it below 100 kph, they broke us up into groups and somehow put all of the sports cars together, and we went quite a bit above that. After that morning experience, it opened into a public driving event, which you have to register for separately. This is very well run with specific run windows, but not run groups based on ability. I really didn’t take too many pictures, but it was amazing.

You can find more details about the public driving experience below, but I no longer see information on the tour+drive experience I did:

https://www.spa-francorchamps.be/en/public-driving-experience

After SPA it was time for the Nürburgring, timed to coincide with a Touristenfahrten events. It was every bit as thrilling—and chaotic—as you’d expect. I’d read countless stories and watched a ton of YouTube videos about the Nürburgring, but nothing fully prepares you for it.

First, there are the logistics. For anyone planning a visit, finding the right spot can be confusing. If you plug “Nürburgring” into Apple Maps, it’ll take you to the general area, but the actual complex is massive, with numerous entrances, roads, and turns. The best advice I can give is to use the burger restaurant, Devil’s Diner, at the entrance to Touristenfahrten as your GPS destination. Across from it is the ticket booth where you can get your entry pass. Once you know this trick, it’s easy—but without it, navigating the signage can be a real challenge.

I arrived on a Friday evening, later than I’d hoped, so I mainly scouted that day and returned on Saturday for the full experience. Saturday felt like a festival; cars of every type were everywhere, from Porsches to more unexpected finds. There was an incredible energy—a true car enthusiast’s paradise. People were excited, open to chatting about their cars, and curious about others. While I didn’t see as many exotics as expected, there were a lot of amazing vehicles.

After waiting for the initial rush to subside, I lined up, scanned my pass at the gate, and entered the track. The moment you pass through the gate, you’re suddenly on the Nürburgring, and it’s surreal. To be honest, I’m amazed that this experience is even allowed. Coming off the highly structured, safe Red Bull Ring experience, this felt like sensory overload. It was almost like stepping into Mad Max—cars were everywhere, with no organization or strict discipline, and the sense of controlled chaos was intense. You have to stay sharp, knowing that there’s no way to exit early—you’re committed to completing the lap unless you pull off and call for a tow.

Once you’re out there, you quickly realize that the Nürburgring has it all: incredibly skilled drivers in high-powered machines and some rather reckless drivers with little regard for safety. At one moment, a Miata might zoom up out of nowhere; in the next, a GT Porsche appears, passes with precision, and vanishes just as quickly. The track itself is phenomenal, but the sheer adrenaline dump from trying to navigate safely amid the traffic makes it feel like a blur on that first lap. For most of it, your goal is simply to survive.

I noticed that some drivers would follow closely behind, almost as if I were their “guardian angel,” pacing them through the turns. After that first lap, several of us met in the parking lot and shared a laugh about how insane the experience was. It’s a shared bond you form with fellow drivers, all trying to make it through safely.

As exhilarating as it was, the chaos on Saturday convinced me to call it a day. I decided to return during the week or closer to closing time when it might be less busy, to experience the Nürburgring with a bit more breathing room. And that’s exactly what I did, and it was a much better experience for actual driving. If you can come for a weekend and also a week day, I think it's the best of both worlds.

To be continued in Part 3...