Ultimate Drift Brazil Becomes Latest Formula DRIFT Affiliate

Formula DRIFT and Ultimate Drift have entered an agreement in which the Brazilian organization will operate as a Formula DRIFT affiliate.

In 2024, Ultimate Drift represented the largest championship ever held in Brazil.

“We are still a new championship in the process of growth and learning. We’ve seen a significant increase in the level of cars and driver skill year after year, especially with the simulator training used by younger drivers,” said Joao Barion, series founder and Formula DRIFT PRO Championship competitor. “Attendance varies between 5,000-10,000 people per round, depending on the location, and the fans are still learning about the sport. One of our challenges is to make it easier for fans to understand and appreciate the complexities of the sport, and we’re hoping that continuity on aspects of the Formula DRIFT Official Rulebook will help to facilitate that understanding.”

Established in 2020, the goal of Ultimate Drift has been to promote drifting in Brazil and strengthen existing drift competitions by introducing fair and transparent organizational structures, the companies stated in a press release announcing the partnership.

“As we work to develop Brazilian drivers, the aim is to eventually provide an opportunity for a path to a Formula DRIFT Competition License in the United States, which will further reinforce the strength of our series,” Barion explained.

The 2025 Ultimate Drift Championship will consist of five rounds at tracks including Belo Horizonte (Mega Space) and Londrina. The first round is set for March 22-23 at Belo Horizonte.

“We’re very excited to add another Formula DRIFT affiliate to further bolster our international relationships, particularly one that is run by accomplished FD PRO Championship driver Joao Barion,” said Ryan Sage, Formula DRIFT president. “Joao and his crew have created an extremely professional team to manage the drift series in Brazil. They’re taking decisive steps to progress the sport in a direction that is both healthy and sustainable. And we look forward to a long and fruitful relationship together.”