Australian motorsport competitor Jure Portelli will spend the remainder of the year in Japan, after securing two highly sought after opportunities to close out 2025.

After passing the selection process, Portelli is now the first Australian driver (man or woman) to be accepted into the Step1 program of the Suzuka Honda Racing School, the same school current Red Bull Formula One driver Yuki Tsunoda graduated from in 2016.

Portelli said being accepted into Step1 of the Honda Racing School is now a major milestone on the driver’s racing resume.

“I put a lot of effort into my racing and to be recognised on the World Stage is satisfying,” Portelli revealed.

“To be selected I guess shows my effort is being noticed.

“There’s a saying in Japanese that I like, “Ganbarimasu”, which means I will do my best, I will work hard, and never give up.

“Honda Racing School is a stepped program with in the Suzuka Honda Racing School and I will do my best to go through the stages. Even through Step1, the first step in the overall program, I will learn as much as possible and take away as much as I can.” Honda Racing School Suzuka is the racing school supervised by Honda Racing with the aim of development of racing riders and racing drivers who will be active all over the world.

With a system that allows for seamless instruction from training at school through to actual racing, the school aims to develop racing riders and racing drivers not only in their riding and driving skills, but also in the mental strength and experience required to compete at the top levels of motorsport in the world.

Portelli has been driving cars competitively for the past two years dating back to start of 2024, after an extensive background in karting.

In the first year, Portelli learned not only how to race a car, but how to drive a manual car as well.

Portelli noted khanacross as an excellent way to learn. It was a more social, relaxed and cheap option of motorsport, which she recommend to anyone starting out in motorsport. This method of learning helped Portelli improve a range of skills such as learning the clutch, gears, brakes, weight transfer, trail braking, skid control and other more difficult areas of driving.

“This year in 2025 we needed to focus on competitiveness, opportunity, and watching racing all over the world,” Portelli added.

“Japan has a long history in motorsport, big manufacturers, large followers, and big competitive racing fields. We actually started planning to compete in Japan from 2024 because it did take a while to create the contacts and organise the different licences.

“I chose Formula Vita as my first racing category as it was relatively inexpensive and provided steps to progress. My second trip to Japan I entered a two-hour Endurance race at Suzuka which gave me a lot of seat time in the Formula Vita. I then entered my first Formula Vita Championship Race at Fuji Raceway.

“The third trip I secured my first podium in the Kyojo Vita Championship, my first ever podium in Japan, it was amazing. I will never forget that.”

Portelli and her team will be in Japan for all of December, taking part in the Step1 program of the Suzuka Honda Racing School, before participating in the 2026 Kyojo Championship Tryouts in the Kyojo Formula Race car.

Whitsunday local Jure Portelli has made history as the first ever Australian to be selected for the incredibly prestigious Honda Racing School Suzuka Formula Class. At just 17 years old, she is also the only female driver to be selected for the 2026 intake.

This incredible opportunity only seeks out the top racing talent and has launched careers of Indy 500 and Formula 1 drivers. Jure managed to beat fierce competition, securing her place in the advanced course against only a few dozen of the most talented up and coming drivers in the world.

This wonderful achievement is making the region incredibly proud as we eagerly anticipate the next stages of her undoubtedly fruitful career.

Local Talent Makes History

Jure Portelli Becomes First Australian at Honda Racing School Suzuka

North Queensland is celebrating a remarkable achievement in the world of motorsport. Seventeen-year-old Jure Portelli has made history as the first Australian ever selected for the prestigious Honda Racing School Suzuka Formula Class. Even more inspiring, she is the only female driver in this year’s intake.

The Honda Racing School in Japan is known worldwide for nurturing some of the best young racing talent. Led by Indy 500 winner Takuma Sato, the program has helped launch careers like that of Formula 1 driver Yuki Tsunoda. For Jure, this opportunity follows a tough competition against 30 drivers from across the globe, which included two days of intensive testing. Only 10 made it to the next stage, and after further trials, Jure secured her place in the advanced course.

This achievement reflects not just Jure’s skill, but her dedication and versatility. She has honed her driving across many disciplines—from endurance racing and rally to training with the Ferrari Driver Academy. Her journey began in local karting, and in just five years she has reached the world stage.

To take this next big step, Jure will be relocating to Japan to complete her training. This comes with considerable costs for travel, living, and coaching. As a grassroots racer supported primarily by her father, who also serves as her mechanic, Jure is now calling on the local community for sponsorship and donations to help make this dream a reality.

Her story is one of passion, family support, and sheer determination. It’s a proud moment for North Queensland and a wonderful example of what young people from our region can achieve with the right support.

Let’s rally behind Jure Portelli as she races toward an exciting future, representing our community on the international stage.