Shiftech Drift Series 2026: end of the selection phase
One adventure ends... and another begins
For several months, hundreds of people tried their luck. Different profiles, sometimes opposite paths, but the same goal in mind: to see the adventure through to the end.
The Shiftech Drift Series 2026 was not just a succession of runs on the track. It was a structured course, with each stage eliminating approximations, revealing limits and forcing everyone to raise their level.
As the heats progressed, the gaps narrowed. Mistakes were paid for more dearly. And above all, the room for improvement shrank.
Reaching the final phase was no longer a promise. It was already a validation.
A tense final showdown at Vaison Piste
On the Vaison Piste circuit, everything came down to the wire - not to put on a show, but to confront the drivers with the reality of top level racing.
The last drivers still in the running knew exactly what that meant: one pass could change everything. There was no catching up possible.
at this stage, the analysis goes beyond pure drifting. What is being observed?
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the ability to reproduce a clean run under pressure
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management of rhythm and transitions
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overall consistency of the passage
It's no longer a question of knowing how to drift. It's about execution.
Tiny differences, a clear-cut selection
The differences between the last drivers were minimal.
A few centimetres on a trajectory. A slightly better angle. A more controlled transition.
Details that are almost invisible to the public, but are crucial in the selection process.
And therein lies the difficulty: as the level approaches, you have to decide what's left. And what's left are the micro-gaps.
An expert reading to decide
In making this selection, the judges' eyes were central.
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Billy
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Jérôme Vassia
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Nuno Da Silva
Their task was not to judge an individual run, but to assess the whole package: consistency, progress, ability to cope with a demanding environment.
In other words: to identify a rider who is capable of being part of a professional project, and not just of performing on a single run.
Immersion in real-life conditions with the teams
The latest phase of the Shiftech Drift Series marked a change of dimension.
With the integration of teams - Team Holy - Brothers Custom, Team MSA, Team Motul - Torque, Team Milwaukee - the drivers were no longer riding alone.
They became part of a team.
Coaching, immediate feedback, adjustments between runs: each run became a complete work sequence. This configuration highlighted another key factor: the ability to exploit a professional framework.
Some drivers were able to adapt instantly. Others struggled.
And that's precisely what this phase sought to reveal.
Salim Karouache, at the end of the road
At the end of this selection, one name stands out.
Salim Karouache.
Not because of a dazzling performance. But on a coherent whole, controlled progress and an ability to remain stable at key moments. And above all, a clear understanding of what was expected at each stage.
He officially joins the Shiftech x Brothers Custom 37 team as the third driver.
Direction: French Drift Championship - Pro category - season 2026
The framework is changing. The level of demand too.
A project built around an ecosystem
The Shiftech Drift Series relies on much more than just the drivers. A whole host of players are involved at every level - technical teams, trainers, coaches, partners - and each plays a direct role in the overall progress. This approach goes a long way towards explaining the level of progress seen this year: a logical, structured and assertive rise in intensity.
Acknowledgements
This project would not be possible without everyone's involvement. Thank you to the selectors present at each stage, to the teams involved in the final phase, to the partners, to the technical teams, to the judges, to the circuits for their hospitality, to all the participants and to the public.
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