Historiens mestvinnende i den amerikanske Formula Drift-serien, Fredric Aasbø, er klar for en ny sesong i Toyota for Papadakis Racing Toyota.
Team Norway-føreren er den som har vunnet flest løp i Formula Drift, som regnes som VM i drifting, gjennom historien. Tre ganger har han stått på toppen sammenlagt ved sesongens slutt, i 2015, 2021 og 2022. I fjor endte han på en 3.plass i en svært spennende avslutning.
Årets sesong åpner kommende helg i Long Beach og Simen Olsen stiller også blant favorittene i årets sesong.
Terminliste Formula Drift 2026: Formula DRIFT – Schedule
PRESSEMELDING fra Papadakis Racing Toyota
New look for Rockstar Energy Toyota GR Supra as Papadakis Racing returns to FD
Fredric Aasbo and Ryan Tuerck headline Long Beach fan events ahead of Formula Drift opener
LONG BEACH, California (April 7, 2027) — Papadakis Racing Toyota begins its 2026 Formula Drift campaign this weekend on the Streets of Long Beach, returning to the Southern California course that traditionally opens the championship and sits just a few miles from the team’s Carson, California headquarters.
The event marks the first outing of the season for the two-car Toyota effort, with Fredric Aasbo returning in the Rockstar Energy Toyota GR Supra and Ryan Tuerck competing in the Rain-X Toyota GR Corolla. Aasbo’s car will debut a new Rockstar Energy Drink livery as the team launches into the new season.
“Starting the season at Long Beach always brings a different kind of energy,” said team owner Stephan Papadakis. “It’s close to home for our crew, and the atmosphere with the fans is always incredible. Everyone has been pushing hard in the offseason, and we’re excited to see what this season brings.”
Long Beach remains one of the most anticipated stops on the Formula Drift calendar, and one that carries extra significance for Papadakis Racing. The team enters the year looking to build on a strong 2025 campaign that saw Aasbo finish third in the championship standings while Toyota captured its 10th Formula Drift Auto Cup.
Both drivers will also take part in several fan events around Long Beach Grand Prix week ahead of the Formula Drift opener.
Both Aasbo and Tuerck will participate in Acura’s Type S Night Lights Thursday night, with Aasbo giving demonstration rides in the Rockstar Energy Toyota GR Supra. Before that, Tuerck is set to appear Wednesday evening at Night School, an enthusiast gathering hosted by Race Service, where fans and industry guests will gather for a pre-race kickoff event.
Papadakis Racing’s Toyota GR Supra and GR Corolla drift cars are built in-house at the team’s Southern California facility and represent the latest evolution of the program that has delivered five Formula Drift championships and 10 manufacturer’s titles for Toyota. After bringing home Kenda Tire’s first even win in Long Beach last season, Papadakis said the team also has its sights set on the Tire Cup in 2026.
“Our goal every year is to push forward,” said Papadakis. “The level in Formula Drift keeps rising, and we want to be right there competing for wins.”
Formula Drift Round 1 takes place this weekend on the Streets of Long Beach with a new qualifying format debuting on Friday and main competition on Saturday. Tickets are on sale now at www.formulad.com.