It’s the last of an era, some say. The Porsche 997 GT3 has its flaws, but they are endearing. It doesn’t have rear wheel-steering or the option of PDK. It is a very analog GT3 that snapped and squirmed and slithered if treated harshly. As we get to see, it’s not all that friendly on cold tires either!

Spinning like a top only takes half a second and a slightly sluggish pair of hands.

French drift master Guillaume Artufel, a man who knows the touchy character of a hot 911, sits shotgun alongside his lackadaisical friend, Bernard, who’s so mellow he may as well be dressed in a robe and slippers. That doesn’t stop him from switching off the systems as they leave the pits.

Getting up to speed a little too quickly on his out lap, Bernard lifts and around the rear comes; spitting the two off into the dirt with little chance of recovery. On cold tires, its propensity to rotate requires the driver remain awake the entire time. Unfortunately, Bernard switched to decaf the week before.

Fortunately, our camera man is plenty experienced in bloodthirsty Porsches and, almost instinctively, reaches for the handbrake as they bounce towards the tire wall. What a friend. It might’ve been lighthearted moment, but only because Guillaume knew what to do when there’s no choice but to take a brief agricultural excursion. Congrats on keeping a cool head in a potentially expensive situation, or, as the French say, “Bravo pour votre sang froid.”

These cool fellas can chuckle even while sliding towards the tire barrier.