CFD 2026 Round 2 in Vesoul: Salim Karrouache in the final, podium finish despite breakage

Vesoul is a track that no one in the team had mastered before driving there. From the very first outings, it was clear that the pit areas were shorter than expected compared to the simulator, that the reference points had to be built from scratch, and that the circuit left very little margin for error when it came to angle transfers.

The training sessions were used to calibrate all this. Salim validated his triggers from the very first runs, then started to look for more angle, more proximity to the limits. The second run cost him the rear bumper on the tyres: the real distance was not the same as the simu. Signal taken, settings adjusted.

The state of mind was different from Round 1. Less stress, more excitement. "There's less fear, more excitement", he sums up before the qualifying runs. The repetition of the runs is starting to anchor the reference points.

Throughout the weekend, Salim wasn't alone in analysing his runs. Med, from Brothers Custom, provided coaching from the trackside, session after session. A key role in the progress visible between each outing.

It was Med who identified from the first training session that the transfers were arriving too late on the first bend, and that Salim was lagging behind on the throttle at low revs due to a lack of confidence in the B58's response. Two clear areas for improvement, transmitted directly between runs. "You transfer too late. I saw it straight away before you even got out."

The work paid off at each subsequent session. Salim's reading of the circuit became more refined, the clips followed on from each other, and he began to gain confidence in increasingly challenging situations. It was also Med who pushed him to test the ALS in the second training session, a decision that immediately changed his sensations on the track. Before the night qualifying session, the message was simple and clear: "We have confidence in your driving. Let yourself go, enjoy it

Even before the warmups in the top 16, the E90 was hit by a queue. A driver failed to see Salim on his right and climbed onto the front axle. Steering wheel askew, front left camber affected. The team took a look, assessed the situation and decided to go ahead anyway.

What happened next is difficult to explain other than by the psychology of the racing driver: the car was damaged and he was no longer afraid of damaging it. The training runs that followed were some of the cleanest of the weekend. Apprehension fell away and the driving became more comfortable. "It took away my anger right from the start," he says.

The qualifiers are held at night. Vesoul at night is a competition within a competition. The road markings are almost invisible, the lights of the E90 don't shine far enough, and managing your bearings becomes a mental exercise. The flames of the ALS make for a striking spectacle from the grandstands. In the cockpit, it's a different matter.

Salim finished P3 qualifying with a score of 54.4, just a few points behind the leader. He knows that he was at 60% of his best in these conditions. He also knows that's enough to start Sunday in a strong position. "If I do the same during the day, I can't be disappointed."

Meanwhile, Médéric Isker and Sofiane Yazid, competing in the Elite category on a separate extended night session, were fighting their own battle. Their weekend in Vesoul will be the subject of a dedicated article shortly.

Sunday finally brought light and optimal running conditions. The relief is visible. The reference points worked on since Friday, refined session after session with Med, are settling in without the constraints of the night.

Salim passed the top 16, managing the stress of the first battle of the day: always the hardest, always the one where raw adrenalin can interfere with reading the track. He passed. In the top 8, the runs went up another notch: more commitment, better transfers, closer proximity in the chase. The semi-final confirmed the trend. He reached the final.

Two heats, two finals. Facing the same opponent as round 1 in the Val de Vienne.

The final pits Salim against Cristiano Silva, his opponent in heat 1. The runs started well. Salim stuck to his guns, the line was clean and the team held its breath in the pits. Then, three bends from the end of the decisive run, the transmission failed. The car came to a standstill. The run could not be finished.

2nd place. The tears came and the emotion overflowed. Not from defeat, but from frustration at not having been able to finish what had started so well. "I can't take it any more. We had it But he soon regained his clarity: two rounds, two podiums and visible progress with each session. It's not an accident, it's a level that's being built.

The technical report is clear: the transmission needs to be strengthened before heat 3. The piloting report is just as clear: Salim has made progress in reading the battles in chase, in managing the jump start, and in his ability to transform an incident into momentum rather than a brake. Med's coaching work throughout the weekend played a direct role in this improvement: every session was debriefed, and every mistake corrected before the next one.

Next round: Val d'Argenton. Team Shiftech leaves with the knife between its teeth.

Where was round 2 of the CFD 2026 held?

The second round of the 2026 French Drift Championship was held at Vesoul, on the Circuit de la Vallée.

What was Salim Karrouache's result in round 2 of the CFD in Vesoul?

Salim Karrouache, a Shiftech driver in the Pro category, finished 2nd. He qualified P3 at night, won his battles all the way to the final, before retiring with a broken transmission during the decisive run.

What is the Shiftech Drift Series?

The Shiftech Drift Series is the internal competition organised by Shiftech to select an amateur driver and offer him a place in the French Drift Championship. Salim Karrouache is the winner for the 2026 season, selected from 2,500 candidates.

Where does round 3 of the CFD 2026 take place?

The third round of the 2026 French Drift Championship will be held at Val d'Argenton.

Who are the other Shiftech drivers in the CFD 2026?

Team Shiftech is entering three cars in 2026: Salim Karrouache (#123) in the Pro category, and Médéric Isker (#35) and Sofiane Yazid (#2) in the Elite category.

How does Team Shiftech keep up the pace over a weekend of competition?

A CFD weekend involves two or three days of back-to-back sessions, debriefs between each run, emergency repairs and short nights. To keep up this pace, Team Shiftech relies on its partner Holy. Energy drinks and hydration products are on the stand all weekend. in Vesoul, Holy even set up a dedicated bar at the event, a first for a round of the French Drift Championship.