Leaving home at the age of 17 to chase a motorsport dream is a daunting prospect for most teenagers.
For Jure Portelli, it was an important step in her motorsport journey which has already seen her break new ground for Australian motorsport.
The Airlie Beach driver recently became the first Australian and the first female to graduate from the prestigious Honda Racing School. The elite six-month development program in Japan has produced some of the country’s top professional drivers, including Yuki Tsunoda, Takuma Sato, and Ayumu Iwasa.
Portelli earned her place after advancing through multiple selection stages at Suzuka, eventually becoming one of just eight drivers chosen from an initial field of 30 applicants.
The program demanded far more than speed and pace alone, with participants constantly assessed for driver intelligence, driver acumen and decision-making both on and off the circuit.
“You never really know what they’re looking out for,” Portelli said.
“Honda scrutinised and judged us not only on and off the track but also on how we behaved and the things we did in our private lives.
“The challenges were definitely living in a different country on my own at 17 years old, and not really speaking the language and navigating a new country without my family being there with me.
“Honda did provide some amazing translators during the school and also during the on-track sessions, which was great, but day to day life in general was a challenge.”
The Honda Racing School’s training program combined intensive track sessions with simulator work, fitness training and detailed data analysis, providing students with a professional environment designed to prepare them for careers at the highest level of formula racing.
While the technical demands were significant, adapting to life overseas proved equally challenging for Portelli.
“It was a very foreign experience,” Portelli said.
“Not a lot of people get the opportunity to do that, especially so young, but I was more than happy to do that to be able to be a part of the Honda Racing School.
“Compared to some of the other drivers who had previously done the Honda Advanced Formula School the previous year and were also racing in Formula races in Japan and overseas. So I had to learn and adapt pretty quickly.
“Track sessions were fantastic. We did hours and hours of laps in the HRS modified Gen2 F4 cars at the Iconic Suzuka Circuit. We practised and were tested on qualifying sessions, endurance sessions, race simulation sessions, tyre management, race starts, and pit stops. It was a proper race school.”
The opportunity was the latest chapter in Portelli’s remarkable rise through the sport.
After discovering karting in 2022, Portelli progressed rapidly through local competition before earning a place in the Ferrari Driver Academy’s Rising Stars program.
She later raced in Formula Vee in Australia and claimed a podium finish on debut in Japan’s Vita Series at Fuji Speedway.
Unable to secure regular race outings, Portelli instead invested heavily in simulator work, physical preparation and mental training, ensuring she was ready when the Honda Racing School opportunity arrived.
Although her graduation marks a historic achievement as both the first Australian and first female graduate, Portelli hopes the milestone is remembered for what it represents.
“To say I am the first Australian and first female ever to graduate from the Honda Racing School Advanced Formula Class is an incredible and history-making achievement, and I am proud to have completed and graduated.”
With one landmark achievement complete, Portelli’s attention has already turned her attention back to pursuing her long-term ambition of reaching Formula One.
