Are the Europeans schooling Formula DRIFT?
It's a Euro invasion at the top of the table as overseas drivers make their mark
Cue hordes of angry American readers smashing wildly at their keyboards in disagreement. But, hear me out…
If there's one driver that has commanded the headlines in Formula DRIFT this season then it's undoubtedly Ireland's James Deane. However to dismiss the competition at this point, especially after Montreal, would be very foolish – the title race is closer than ever, with just 75 points seperating first and third place.
Montreal witnessed yet another strong European showing on the podium. Photo: Larry Chen/formulad.com
The one trend that is apparent, however, is that we're witnessing a European takeover in Formula DRIFT – for the second time in FD history, and the second time already this season, we saw an all-Euro podium in Canada. With Norwegian Fredric Aasbø's second victory of the year, Latvian Kristaps Bluss snapping at his heels in second place and Deane in third. What's more, the three drivers make up the top of the points standings too – it looks like America's number one drift championship title will be fought over by the Europeans in 2017.
Fredric Aasbø is having no issues gelling with his new 1,000hp Corolla iM this year. Photo: Larry Chen/formulad.com
This isn't a carefully curated sample either. In fact, alongside the three drivers mentioned previously sitting in first, second and third place respectively, only four of the top ten in the current standings are home-grown American talent. Whilst this is a great testament to the series ability to attract the best drifters from all around the world, it could also be an indication that drifting in Europe has been seriously overlooked, and underestimated, up until now.
Can the home favourites like Vaughn Gittin Jr. regain ground before the end of the season? Photo: Larry Chen/formulad.com
Want further proof? So far this season first place trophies have returned to Ireland twice, Norway twice, and Lithuania once. That's right, we're yet to have an American winner in 2017. Counting up those who've stood on the podium so far in 2017, just three have been from the U.S of A (Tuerck, Essa, Essa again), whilst the remaining twelve were overseas visitors – ten from Europe, one from Japan, and one from Peru. ¡Hola!
Polish driver Piotr Wiecek is looking likely to be named Rookie of the Year. Photo: Larry Chen/formulad.com
Once you get out of the top ten there are only two other Europeans in the competition to speak of – Poland's Pioter Wiecek, who is in his rookie year (and incidentally, a shoe-in for Rookie of the Year) sits in 12th position, and Finland's Juha Rintanen, who missed the Canadian event, is down in 23rd.
It's crunch time in the 2017 championship, with just three rounds remaining, and Deane, Aasbø and Bluss at the top of the table are all charging for the title after all three made the podium in Canada.
We're set for one hell of a season finale!
Tags: #drift #drifting #FormulaDRIFT
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Comments (2)
They have the mad skills, and the most popular car is built in New Zealand, so the Americans are really smarting. I think that D1 is still the best drift competition worldwide, with tracks that are not just one big power skid.