Welcome to the adrenaline-fuelled world of professional drifting.
WHAT IS DRIFTING?
Drifting is a driving style in which the driver uses the throttle, brakes, clutch, gear shifting and steering input to keep the car in a state of oversteer while maneuvering from turn to turn.
Drifters emphasize car control by coordinating the amount of counter-steer (or opposite lock) with the simultaneous modulation of the throttle and brakes to shift the weight balance of the car back and forth through the turns. Furthermore, they strive to achieve this while adhering to the standard racing lines (or designated “clipping points” if drifting in competition) and maintaining extreme slip angles. It is the most difficult, demanding and exciting way to drive a car on a track.
WHAT ARE PROFESSIONAL DRIFT COMPETITIONS?
As with any sport, casual drifters quickly reached a level where they wanted to test their skills against other drivers in a competition format. Professional level drifting competitions are hugely exhilarating and will often feature some of the most exciting driving you’re ever likely to see.
The competitors aim to complete a pre-defined course (as laid out by the nominated judges) while sticking as closely to the judged criteria as possible, earning points for their proximity to the clipping points, their speed throughout the course and, most importantly, the amount of style with which they do so. Slow drifting with a lack of commitment will get marked down, while fast, intense drifting will rack up the points!
After their individual qualification runs, drivers are paired up against each other for ‘twin battles’ as they are commonly known. Run to a knockout format, the aim is for the chase driver to follow the lead driver as closely as possible, sitting door-to-door at massive speeds, all while sideways and with smoke billowing off the rear tires.
These battles are the real highlight of competitive drifting and provide some of the biggest entertainment available in competitive motorsport.
THE DRIFT MASTERS EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP
Since its inception in 2014, the Drift Masters European Championship (DMEC) has evolved from humble beginnings of a 3-round series on a small custom-built circuit to what was is now recognized as the greatest drift championship on the continent with alliances across the globe. Year on year growth has not only seen driver numbers increase but also spectator figures, in attendance and online. We expanded the numbers of events to five in 2015, on to a constant six from 2016- 2019. The pesky COVID-19 got in the way meaning that in 2020 there was just 1 DMEC event, with us then managing 2 double-header weekends in 2021. In 2022 though, we’re back on track with a full 6-event calendar taking place across 6 different countries.
DMEC as a championship has eclipsed and surpassed all expectations in such a short period of time but one trait has been constant throughout, professionality. With the main nature of our business being high-speed motorsport, enforcing strict safety regulations from the offset will always be a core value to the DMEC team. When it comes to designing our drift venues, creativity is key. Each year brings the championship to new and exciting venues. From fully custom-built drift arenas constructed within professional football stadiums to taking over Formula One race circuits, DMEC has no boundaries. The championship itself may be based within the continent of Europe but it’s reach and following spreads across the globe. Such is the desire to drive in the championship, the DMEC grid has featured drivers from the Europe, USA, South America, Middle East, Asia and more.
2022 is set to be a record-breaking season on all fronts for DMEC and our team are ready to make the steps to retain our crown as the biggest and best drift championship in the world and we’re delighted to have you along for the journey. Check out all DMEC 2022 events by clicking here.