Photo: Domenic Photo recording
This weekend, on August 14 and 15, the Drift Masters European Drift Championship stage “Drift King of Riga” will take place on Biķernieki track. In the start of the race we will see almost 50 best drift riders from different European countries, including James Dean, Pyotr Viecek, as well as local stars – Kristaps Blush and Nicolas Bertan.
Jānis Blušs, competition organizer: ” This competition will be special for us as organizers – we are the only ones who will organize such a big dirft competition in Europe this year. We will host athletes from different European countries, which gives the opportunity to introduce drift fans to riders of different levels. There are pros and cons – due to restrictions, we cannot accommodate as many spectators as the track allows, so we have prepared the warmest fans to watch the competition from home, providing a live broadcast that can be watched from a convenient place. ”
The live broadcast from Biķernieki will be provided by the “RedBull Media” team, who will use unprecedented technical solutions in this competition, so that the spectators on the other side of the screen will have a realistic feeling, a feeling as if they are on the track. The live broadcast will be available on RedBull TV as well as on facebook.com.
Competition program:
Friday, August 14:
18:00 – 20:30 / Qualifying trips / live broadcast
Saturday, August 15:
15:00 – 15:20 TOP32 Presentation / live broadcast of participants
15:30 – 17:30 TOP32 / live broadcast
18:00 – 20:00 TOP 16 / live broadcast
20:15 Award ceremony / live broadcast
The list of participants includes very well-known names in drift circles, as well as some of the best domestic athletes, together we will see about 50 drifters at the start.
One of the best known drift riders, James Dean, has applied for the competition. The athlete has earned his fame by becoming a multiple Formula D and European drift champion. Latvian drift fans have already managed to love the Irish athlete. In last year’s competition, for technical reasons, the athlete withdrew from the TOP32, which suggests that this year the drifter will not miss the opportunity to climb to the highest step of the podium.
Polish driver Pjotrs Vieceks will also return to Biķernieki after a long time. The athlete has spent the full season in the Formula D Championship and is ready to return to Riga, the track he has included in his list of favorite tracks!
The strong list of participants also includes Latvian drift pilot Kristaps Blušs, who together with the above-mentioned athletes Dīna and Wiecek has spent two seasons in America, in Formula D races. Last year we saw Kristaps starting in RDS competitions, but this year we will open our competition season in Biķernieki.
The three Formula D drivers will also face another European and Baltic driver. A strong competition for athletes will be made by the Lithuanian Benediktas Cirba – one of the few athletes who has managed to hold several drift competitions this season. The RedBull drift brothers, or strong drift brothers Shanahani from Germany, who are one of the leading drift riders in Europe, will also show their abilities on the track. Estonian athletes Harold Valdma, Ao Vaida, Oliver Randalu and Kristjns Sallu Salmre also got the opportunity to apply. Let’s not forget about the domestic athletes – the aforementioned Kristaps Blušs, Jānis Brālītis, Jānis Jurka, Ingemārs Jēkabsons and Nikolass Bertāns, for whom this will be the first big PRO drift competition. Due to changes in the list of participants, we will also see four Lithuanian athletes at the start. Biķernieki will have a good composition of Baltic drift.
We would like to draw your attention to the fact that spectators’ tickets to the motorsport event are sold out, due to restrictions and a certain number of tickets, so all those interested will be able to watch the live broadcast of the event.
The information was prepared by:
Elīne Berķe
Latvian Drift
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