In the two-day event from September 19 to 20 at the Zhuhai International Circuit, drivers gave their all in the final battle of 2015, resulting in intense competition. Although Japanese drifting legend Naoki Morimoto claimed victory, it was not an easy feat. In the obstacle course, where he fully demonstrated his personal skills, he only beat Indonesian rookie Amadio, who was competing in China for the first time, by 0.63 seconds. After winning both the obstacle and chase events on the 20th to become the double champion of the Red Bull Drift Battle 2015 Autumn Finale, Morimoto said in a post-event interview: “I’m very satisfied with my overall performance this autumn. I have great trust in my opponents and friends. My familiarity with them allows me to push my driving to the limit without any reservations. However, I also felt the high level of difficulty this season, as every driver kept improving race after race. Especially my prized student Xue Q, who took second place in the chase event, performed exceptionally well. I believe that to succeed in drifting, you must rise to the challenge and stay fully focused.”
Photo 1: The top three finishers of the Red Bull 2015 Drift Battle chase event hold their trophies high
The chase event on the 20th brought the Red Bull Drift Battle to its climax. As the final event of 2015 and the decisive round for the annual championship, it was highly valued by the drivers. Red Bull driver Federico said: “Compared to the obstacle course, the chase event features one-on-one duels, which is more challenging for us. So we specifically compared all the drivers’ data from Friday and Saturday before today’s races, and we also studied each driver’s technique. Overall, today’s race was more intense and more exciting to watch.”
Photo 2: Drifting drivers leave nothing on the table
It’s worth highlighting that 29-year-old driver Xue Q emerged as this year’s biggest dark horse. In the chase event, he drove the most rounds. From the Round of 14 to the Round of 8, then to the Round of 4, and finally the finals, he competed in a total of eight rounds without ever getting out of the car or taking a break. Amid a field of elite domestic and international drifters in the Red Bull Drift Battle, he broke through to clinch second place in the autumn series and runner-up in the annual standings. Xue Q said: “The intensity of this competition really pushed my physical limits—that’s what I’ll remember most. I almost got heatstroke. Also, after so many races, both my car and my stamina had issues, which slightly affected my driving. After this, I’ll focus more on physical training and come back to challenge again next year. It’s also worth mentioning that competing for the championship against my mentor, Naoki Morimoto, was incredibly rewarding and memorable.”
Regarding the most difficult part of the chase event, Xue Q said: “The hardest thing in the chase event is the distance between the leading and following car. The contrast between the two cars is crucial. If the speed difference is too great, overtaking becomes very difficult. So I have to adapt to each driver’s lead and pace control abilities while managing the different rhythms of every match.”
Red Bull driver Federico was involved in a minor front-end collision during the chase event, and there were some issues with his car. But he said: “I think I definitely delivered for the fans and for myself. Even when problems arose, I didn’t give up. I treated it as putting on a satisfying show for the fans. I’m really happy to have taken third place and to meet and talk with Red Bull fans again.”
Photo 3: The audience watches the Red Bull Drift Battle intently
The Red Bull Drift Battle was established in 2013, with the annual competition divided into spring, summer, and autumn events. The Red Bull Drift Battle 2015 was upgraded to a two-day event featuring individual skill competitions and chase races, adding more competitiveness and entertainment value. It became the highlight and grand finale of the Pan-Delta Super Racing Festival. After competing in qualifying, obstacle, and chase rounds, the drifting masters battled for a new title. With the development and popularization of China’s automotive sports and racing culture, the Red Bull Drift Battle has garnered increasing attention and enthusiasm from car enthusiasts, as well as active participation from top drift drivers worldwide. Federico said: “We’ll definitely be back next year. The Chinese fans and audience were amazing, cheering us on passionately. The organization and setup of the Zhuhai International Circuit and the Red Bull Drift Battle were excellent.”
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