What is Formula Drift?
The leading professional drifting championship in North America, where cars are judged on style, angle and speed rather than lap times.
Formula Drift, often shortened to FD, is the premier professional drifting series in North America, founded in 2004. It brought competitive drifting from its Japanese street and grassroots origins into a structured, judged professional championship.
Rather than racing for the fastest lap, drivers are scored on the quality of their slides. Judges evaluate factors such as the angle of the car, the line taken, speed and overall style and commitment. Qualifying involves solo runs, while the main event uses head-to-head tandem battles where two cars drift in close proximity.
Formula Drift has driven huge growth in drift culture and high-horsepower competition builds, with cars often producing well over 1,000 horsepower. It has helped turn drifting into a mainstream motorsport spectacle and a proving ground for both drivers and tuners.
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
Formula Drift on the blog
A drift missile is a cheap, beat-up car built to drift without worrying about damage. The term came from Japan, the classic missile is a Nissan 240SX, and rising prices have made the cheap part harder.
Tandem drifting is two cars sliding together, inches apart, for a whole run. It's the format that made drifting a real sport, and the winner isn't the car in front. Here's how lead and chase work, and how judges score line, angle and style.