(settings) | Login Skip Navigation LinksRSC Home > Reports & News > French Drift Championship Nogaro

French Drift Championship Nogaro

14th - 15th April 2018

Event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello

For the fourth consecutive year, the Paul-Armagnac circuit of Nogaro hosts a round of the French drift championship. The first one in this case.

French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 001French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 002

The competitors are divided into three categories, Loisir, Pro and Elite.

the Loisir category corresponds to the amateurs can’t participate in the battles.

The power of cars ranges from less than 200 HP the Suzuki Cappuccino with a 1340 Hayabusa engine of 197 HP to over 1000 HP for the most powerful car the BMW M3 e93 motorized by a Chevrolet LSX supercharged engine of 1030 HP.

Saturday was dedicated to free practices.

Sunday morning took place the qualifications and the afternoon was reserved for battles where found the Elites and Pro drivers.

In loisir Roger Clerissy, BMW 335I E93, won ahead of Julien Estebanez, BMW E30, and Maximilien Lecorre, BMW 328i E36.

French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 003French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 004French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 005French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 006French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 007French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 008French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 009French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 010French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 011French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 012French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 013French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 014French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 015French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 016French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 017French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 018French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 019French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 020French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 021French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 022

The chronometer is not the only one to count, there is especially the beauty of the drifts and their angle of attack.

The top 32 is opposed 2 to 2. They are judged on the angle of slip and the precision of the trajectory.

It's a ballet between two funambulists of the driving.

French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 023French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 024French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 025French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 026French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 027French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 028French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 029French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 030French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 031French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 032French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 033French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 034French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 035French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 036French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 037French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 038

While almost all 32 finalists thought they could come out victorious, as always, there could only be one winner.

This one was Benjamin Boulbès, French Champion 2017, with this BMW M3 e93 supercharged. The 2nd was Laurent Cousin, French Champion 2012, on BMW M3 turbo and the 3rd was Nicolas Dufour, BMW E30, French Champion 2016.

French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 039French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 040French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 041French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 042French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 043French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 044French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 045French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 046French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 047French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 048French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 049French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 050French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 051French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 052

My favorite of the WE.

For this first experience in a drift competition, what captivated me most is the atmosphere and the shared moments between the public and the competitors.

In the competition I had a weakness for the Suzuki Cappuccino powered by a Suzuki Hayabusa 4 stroke inline four motorcycle 1340 cc 197 hp engine.

The production model was powered by a turbocharged, three-cylinder, 657 cc DOHC engine, 5-speed manual gear box, power output was a claimed 64 HP.

It was the smallest and one of the least powerful of the grid but not the least quick and not the last to burn gum on the track.

French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 053French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 054French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 055French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 056French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 057French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 058French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 059French Drift Championship Nogaro (event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello) - picture number 060

This experience will be renewed should the opportunity arise.

(Based on CFD Press release)