The 996-generation of the GT3 is a car that still intimidates some of the more experienced drivers on the hillclimb. The rear end still exudes some of that typical 911-nervousness, and seems to follow crevices and cambers wherever it goes. The 3.6-liter, Mezger engine – the one which once powered the Porsche GT1 – sits behind the rear wheels, and makes nearly 400 horsepower.

Neff’s familiarity with the car allows him to make minute slides in the rain.

That recipe would give most drivers the willies, let alone this racing version of the GT3. The 996 GT3 Cup boasts a 3.8-liter motor and near-500 horsepower at an 8,300-rpm redline. Reduced weight, slick tires, and a sequential gearbox only make the concoction all the more viscious, and the idea of taking it to the ragged edge on a damp backroad might seem suicidal to most drivers.

However, some people are simply made of stronger stuff. Frederic Neff is a masterful hillclimber who shows exactly how courage and precision should mix on a damp mountain road. He’s accurate, fairly relaxed behind the wheel, but also quite generous with the throttle. Thankfully, when the rear end goes, he’s got the hands to keep it in one piece, and the guts to keep the foot down.

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As seen at 1:25, the rear-engined layout does like to continue rotating once it gets started. Neff’s run up until that point is clean and neat, but a hair too much throttle in a long corner, combined with a camber change underneath the meaty Michelin slicks, means a big moment. Nearly on the lock stops, Neff does all he can to stop the rear from sliding, and hesitates for a second before feathering the throttle to bring the rear back in line. Combined with the constant shifting of gears (the above video is from 2014, when Neff used an h-pattern gearbox), and the nervous backside make for an interesting machine, with which, there are no small moments.