Yves Meyer: It's worth the quarantine 🎥

DRIFT PREMIERE IN THE USA In order to be present at the Formula Drift 2020 opener in the USA, the Drift Force team accepted quarantine after their return. The Seelisberger did not regret the trip. The two-minute scenes give a nice impression of Formula Drift in St. Louis. It's amazing how even with a [...]

Editorial - September 12, 2020

The two-minute scenes give a nice impression of the Formula Drift in St. Louis. It's amazing how even a small, inconspicuous Toyota can drift...

In order to be able to take part in the first round of Formula Drift 2020, which did not start until the first weekend in September because of Corona, the Drift Force team from Seelisberg accepted the quarantine that is mandatory for people returning to Switzerland from the USA. The team leader did not regret the trip, which was only possible after intervention by the US organizers due to the late receipt of a visa.

Yves Meyer: "It was really an impressive first weekend in the Champions League of drifting. Never before have we seen such a density of fast, quality drivers, cars and teams."

Good duel against the best
Unfortunately, Yves Meyer and Joshua C. Reynolds, with whom he runs the Eventcenter Seelisberg and shares a love of drifting, were unable to test extensively as planned before the first US race. As a result, they were unable to resolve some technical difficulties and set-up issues until they arrived at the race site, the World Wide Technology Raceway near St Louis in the US state of Missouri.

In the USA, Formula Drift takes place in huge stadiums and on speedways. Yves Meyer enjoyed every fight in St. Louis, as he did here in practice still without fans.

Instead of the limited twelve practice laps, Meyer was only able to complete eight. Nevertheless, he managed to impress the judges, riders and fans in the stands with a close battle in the first round against Chelsea Denofa - Sunday's winner.

Disappointment greater than the damage
In Sunday's race, Aurimas Bakchis, who managed a double podium, was Meyer's opponent in the Top 32 elimination. This ended abruptly for the first Swiss in the top class of drift racing with an accident.

Yves Meyer: "I was able to win my chase run by a narrow margin. Unfortunately, I then slipped off the clutch with my foot in the second transition in the subsequent lead run and hit the right rear tire pile. The disappointment is greater than the damage..."

AUs for Yves Meyer. The disappointment was greater than the damage to the car....

Reynolds also convinced
For Joshua Reynolds, the training sessions went extremely well. He was able to quickly get used to his new car, like Meyer's 850 hp BMW F22 Eurofighter. Unfortunately, the US-Swiss from the canton of Nidwalden had caught a too wide line in the first turn and went offtrack, which meant that he was already out of the decision. That's the way the rules are.

Yves Meyer: "Nevertheless, we are proud of our achievements and look positively ahead. The level in Formula Drift PRO2 is also well above the European standard."

Yves Meyer was thrilled with his first US race even without a countable result. Three more will follow in 2020.

Next in two weeks
Races 3 and 4 of Formula 2020 will take place from September 25 to 27, 2020 at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe near Seattle. After this trip to the US state of Washington, the two Swiss will again have to go into quarantine.

More photos and videos, including of Yves Meyer's fateful battle, are available on Instagram (see links below).