Drift UAE skidded on to the motorsports calendar last season seemingly out of nowhere. Mohammad Al Falasi and the team at Motorsport Solutions gathered together a group of enthusiastic amateur drifters from across the region in what culminated in a climactic and entertaining finale.
It may only be in its second season but the Drift UAE series has taken a giant leap forward. Round 1 took place at the weekend at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi and saw over 50 competitors battling it out on the North Circuit.
Drifters would be competing in three different categories. Street Category is reserved for street registered cars in their stock form or with slight modification. This is entry level drifting and encourages a new generation to get on track and fulfill their potential.
The second category is the Modified Class. These are highly modified cars and the drivers must demonstrate a moderate level of drifting experience.
This year also includes the Pro Drift category which introduces the first twin drifting competition to the Middle East. With 13 professional drifters entered, many with team sponsorship, the intention is to nurture local talent and compete in the international drifting arena.
The Pro Class includes professionally built cars with full safety and mechanical upgrades to ensure driver safety during twin drifting style battles. This is the highest level of drifting competition and an exciting addition to the Drift UAE series.
Practice and track familiarization got under way in the afternoon with all the thrills and spills associated with the sport. After a short break it was time to make that practice count as qualification got underway.