CFD 2026: a review of a season that changed everything for Team Shiftech

How it all began: how Salim joined the programme

Salim Karrouache didn’t make his way into the CFD paddock through the usual channels. No sponsorship budget, no connections. Just a steering wheel, a circuit, and a judging panel. It was the Shiftech Drift Series Season 1 that brought him to the fore: spotted amongst the participants in the first edition, he secured his place on Team Shiftech for a full season in the PRO category, with a car provided and full technical support.

That was the concept. It worked beyond all expectations.

The season: consistency and progress

Salim didn’t wait until the end of the season to make his mark. Right from the first round at Val de Vienne, he made it onto the podium by finishing second. At Calmont, the sixth round, he took pole position in the PRO qualifying and finished third. Results that leave no room for doubt: this isn’t a rookie just getting by, but a driver who wins.

At Calmont, during the sixth round, he set the fastest time in the PRO qualifying session with 72.62 points, ahead of Fabio Henriques and Pascal Lia. The battles proved too much for him that weekend: knocked out in the semi-final by the surprise contender Mathis Fave, he bounced back in the third-place play-off to clinch third place. In the overall standings, he finished on 519 points, third behind Cristiano Silva (650) and Pascal Lia (550). The PRO title slipped from his grasp once again, but the final at Lédenon lay ahead.

The final at Lédenon: one race too many, and yet…

On 19 and 20 September 2026, the Lédenon Circuit hosted the CFD final in front of more than 15,000 spectators, with Sunday’s session sold out. Cristiano Silva went into the event leading the PRO championship, but was knocked out in the Top 16 due to an engine fault. The door was now open.

Salim didn’t let the opportunity slip by.

Top 16: victory over A. Cancian. Quarter-final: he knocked out Loïc Rigoni, the No. 4 seed. Semi-final: he dominated Killian Trosset, the No. 2 seed. Final: he beat Charly Palma.

Salim Karrouache wins the final round at Lédenon. His first victory in the French Drift Championship. At the end of the Calmont round, he is officially crowned Champion of the 2026 Rookie Challenge.

In the overall season standings, he finished 2nd in the 2026 French Drift PRO Championship with 648 points, behind Cristiano Silva (717 pts).

For a driver in his first PRO season, who was spotted via the Shiftech Drift Series talent scouting events with a €60 entry fee, this is simply exceptional.

Final PRO 2026 Standings

The Shiftech Brothers Custom team also fielded two drivers in the ELITE class: Médéric Isker and Sofiane Yazid. A more open, more unpredictable class, with intense competition and a title race that was decided by the narrowest of margins.

A season defined by the battle at the top

In the ELITE category, the 2026 season was dominated by a head-to-head duel: Mathias Locatelli versus Jason Banet. Médéric and Sofiane navigated this nail-biting context, round after round, building their season against the best French drivers.

At Calmont, the sixth round, Jason Banet secured the ELITE pole position with 81.24 points, only to be knocked out in the Top 16 by Guillaume Gleyo. Locatelli, meanwhile, reached the semi-finals before being eliminated. The championship took a dramatic turn: Locatelli took the lead with just a 3-point advantage over Banet (608 to 605).

The final at Lédenon: the title is decided in a single head-to-head battle

At Lédenon, the stage is set for a spectacular show. Banet and Locatelli find themselves in the Top 4, so the 2026 title comes down to this head-to-head duel on the track, in front of packed stands. Locatelli comes out on top. He is crowned the 2026 French ELITE Drift Champion.

At Lédenon, Sofiane was knocked out in the Top 8 by Kevin Pesur, the Drift Masters driver competing on a wildcard. He finished his season in 8th place in the final ELITE standings with 419 points.

Médéric failed to progress beyond the Top 32 at Lédenon. He finished his season in 19th place with 325 points, marking his first full season in France’s most competitive Elite-level championship, up against experienced drivers and reigning champions.

2026 ELITE Final Standings

The 2026 season will also be remembered for the collective performance of Team Shiftech X Brothers Custom in the team standings.

In the PRO category, the team fielded not only Salim but also Pascal Lia, who raced in Shiftech Brothers Custom colours throughout the season. It was a solid season, seeing them finish third in the PRO championship with 626 points. It was the combination of Salim and Pascal’s performances that enabled the team to compete at the very top.

In the CFD Team Cup PRO, the final result was striking: Street Get By Chapa and Shiftech Pro X Brothers Custom finished in a perfect tie, with 1,274 points each. The team title was awarded to Street Get By Chapa following a tie-breaker based on the number of wins. Shiftech finished second in the 2026 Team Cup PRO.

In the ELITE category, the Team Cup concluded with Team Shiftech x Brothers Custom finishing in 4th place, just off the podium.

Half a point short in the PRO category. Better luck next time.

A season like that isn’t achieved on your own.

Behind the results lie dozens of people who have worked behind the scenes, weekend after weekend, circuit after circuit. The mechanics at Brothers Custom and Shiftech who prepared the cars in the rain at Calmont and under the sun at Lédenon. The engineers who spent nights fine-tuning the mapping so that every horsepower was there when it was needed. The Shiftech teams at the service parks, who followed the season from France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Réunion, and who have supported the project from day one.

Thank you to Brothers Custom, the team’s technical partner from the very beginning; without their expertise in car preparation and their total commitment to every round, none of what happened this season would have been possible.

Thank you to the sponsors and partners who placed their trust in the Shiftech Drift programme even before it had proven itself. You believed in us before the results were in. That’s what a true partner is all about.

Thank you to the 15,000 spectators at Lédenon and to everyone who followed the rounds from the stands, on their screens and online. You chanted Salim’s name in the final. He heard you.

And then there’s Salim. A lad who turned up at the Drift Series with €60 in his pocket and the desire to show what he was capable of. He never gave up, round after round, even when the battles weren’t going his way. He bided his time until Lédenon to give it his all, and came away as French vice-champion and Rookie Champion in his first season in the PRO category.

This season is one we’ll remember for a long time to come.