Conor Shanahan (IRL) in action during Drift Masters European Championship in Riga, Latvia on August 14, 2020
© Jaanus Ree/Red Bull Content Pool
Drifting

Drifting FAQs: Everything you need to know

As the fastest-growing motorsport in the world right now, drifting has gone global. But if you're still new to it all, fear not – here's a guide to get up to speed.
Written by Red Bull
7 min readUpdated on
That's right: the fastest-growing motorsport worldwide is drifting.
There is just something special about this sacred motorsport that keeps us coming back for more. Maybe it's the simple elegance of seeing a car moving sideways, or admiring the unique dance between car, driver, and road, or just the sheer control these drivers have at full speed. Either way, we love to see the very best rip it up.
A lot of factors go into drifting properly. Top motorsport athletes take into account every possible factor of their car, along with the physics (yep, you guessed it, mad science is involved), and the area where the drift will take place, then practice along with their team to improve their angles and approaches, while also anticipating the subjective judging that is involved in drifting events. More on that later.

2 min

Conor Shanahan Molls Gap Drive

Conor Shanahan Molls Gap Drive

To help you get started on your journey, and also mark the return of Red Bull Drift Pursuit on Saturday 5 July – this time in an all-new location on Spike Island in Cork, Ireland – below we've answered some of the most frequently asked questions around drifting.
01

Is drifting really fast?

That depends. Around a corner it is not the fastest way, as a straight line will propel you faster, since there are no interruptions, but drifting can be as fast as around a corner as driving around a corner in a traditional way.
But given you can hit top speeds in the cars, drifting is really fast. A professional can push a vehicle to its limits, since they have a comprehensive understanding of their vehicle, its safest possible top speed for a successful drift, and can complete their drift under optimal conditions.
Top drivers can average anywhere between 60-100 mph as they enter turns, using all of their senses and muscle memory to pull off incredible manoeuvres while guiding their cars around the track at serious pace.
If you want to see how much power a drifting car has under its hood, just watch the video below to see drifting's Mad Mike Whiddett take on drivers in rallycross, Pro4 and F1 cars respectively. We don't want to give anything away but Mad Mike is pretty fast, if you catch our drift...

10 min

Four-way battle: F1, rally, drift and truck vehicles face off

An F1 car, rally car, drift car and truck all go head-to-head on a custom track.

02

Can you drift with an automatic car?

Yes. Any car can drift, as long as the physical needs are met. The driver must put the car in a state where the wheels turn faster than the traction can keep up, thus propelling the car sideways. After that, it is about skill and control.
03

What is the purpose of drifting?

The purpose of drifting, and especially professional drifting by motorsport athletes, is to successfully complete a drift course or race while being judged point-by-point on the quality of their drifting skills. Generally speaking, the purpose of drifting is for the driver to make the car spin sideways, intentionally causing the car to oversteer, in order to achieve a drift state.
04

How is drifting judged?

Drifting stands alone in its race format. Forget lap times or track position, because drivers are judged on four main criteria: speed and fluidity, drift angle, line selection and style. Judges alone have the power to decide the big events, awarding points for qualifying runs, and when it's time for twin battles during the finals, they indicate who progresses to the next round.
But let's go into detail with exactly what these four core ares of scoring involve:
The speed and fluidity: the faster and more fluid a drift runs, the more points you get.
The drift angle: the larger the angle, the more points there are. A good instinct is required here because if the angle is too low, there are hardly any points. If the angle is too high, the car may slow down.
The line: Before any event, the judges inform the drivers about the ideal line. Certain points have to be approached on the track, sometimes with the front, sometimes with the rear. The more precisely you are able to stick to this line, the higher the score.
The style: The most important criteria when drifting. How precisely is the drift initiated? Do you have to make corrections often? Do you drive a lot at full throttle? All of this goes into the fourth score.
You can read more about the rules of drifting here.
05

What is the best car for drifting?

Jack Shanahan and Conor Shanahan going tyre to tyre

Brothers Jack Shanahan and Conor Shanahan going tyre to tyre

© Joerg Mitter / Red Bull Content Pool

Any car can be used to implement a drift, but professionals will either use cars that have a history of good drifting attributes (with rear-wheel or 4-wheel drive), or use a local model that they understand and are comfortable with. Nearly all drifting cars have a low centre of gravity, so they can pull off their drifts at higher speeds and with more velocity around the turn.
Irishman Conor Shanahan, who has used a BMW E36 in the past, is competing in a Toyota GT86 during 2025's Formula Drift, one of the world's biggest drifting event. He's has been putting his new beast through its paces for some time, as you can see in this behind-the-scenes video.
Elsewhere, 2024's Drift Masters winner Lauri Heinonen tore the opposition apart in the seat of his rear-wheel Nissan 180SX S13. Capable of a whopping 900 horsepower, the V8 engine inside it helps the Finn to go full throttle around the track.
Part of the beauty of watching a drifting event is marvel at wonderful designs, custom build engines and aerodynamics on offer with these supercharged steeds.
A photo of a drifting car performing in Cairo, Egypt.

Red Bull Car Park Drift

© Hatem Yehia / Red Bull Content Pool

A drift event is any motorsport event where the main attraction is either drift racing or a drift course competition.
And if you've wanted to see the best in the business in action, on July 5 Red Bull Drift Pursuit returns by taking over a former military base on Spike Island, Cork, where Conor Shanahan will also be looking to impress back on home soil.
And if aren't able to attend, there is always Drift Masters in Europe or Formula Drift in the US – two elite drifting competitions running into autumn and well worth attending this year.
Short of burning those tyres yourself, there's no better way to appreciate the art of the drift than by watching top drivers up close and in unique locations. Rewatch some of the highlights from Red Bull Car Park Drift Belfast (below) to see some mind-blowing driving manoeuvres done right.

1 min

Red Bull Car Park Drift Belfast - The Game

06

How does drifting work?

Drifting works by intentionally putting a car in an oversteer state, where it overcomes the natural traction between the wheels and the road. The driver then controls this state, forcing the car to continue drifting until the turn is complete.
The actual courses used in DMEC events and drifting, in general, are always preceded by a run-up, where drivers accelerate their cars up to speed. Then, the drift zone begins with a transverse line marked on the asphalt and from this clearly marked point to the finish line, the cars must be oversteering at all times. Simply driving sideways isn't enough, however. Drivers also need to follow the right line, which is clearly indicated by the judges before the event.
07
Drifting started in Japan in the 1970s, and has slowly gained in popularity over time. Known as the 'father of drifting', Takahashi, who passed away in 2022, was a ground-breaking individual who not only embodied ultra professionalism but also the underground cool that helped the sport evolve in his native Japan into a new discipline entirely.
Indeed, drifting used to be considered a niche sport, but as time passed and the likes of Takahashi brought it into the world, its popularity has grown. It started to become popular outside of Japan in the 1990s, and today it is a global sport.
People who enjoy watching drift racing are often attracted by the beauty of the drift, the stunning display of driver and machine, and because they like to see the tires smoke - which is a) not really smoke, but more mist or dust created from the friction of rubber striking an asphalt surface; and b) not something that affects the scores in any way, but still looks really cool nevertheless.
To get a real deep dive into the origins of this majestic motorsport/subculture, click here for a full history of drifting.