As we approach the second half of the 2023 Drift Masters European Championship season, let’s take a moment to review the Top 10 qualifiers from the first three rounds. For this analysis, we have a single rule: the driver must participate in at least two events. Sorry, James!
#10 Kevin Piskolty
Average qualifying score: 85
Kevin, a driver from Hungary, finished 16th overall last year. However, this season, he has improved and is currently ranked 9th after the first half of the season. His average qualification score has increased by 2.8 points. His best qualification run was in Finland, where he scored 90 points.
Championship standings: #9
#9 Max Heidrich
Average qualifying score: 85.50
This year, Max has not had much luck in the tandem battles. His best result was a Top 16 finish at Mondello Park. However, he has been performing well in the qualifying rounds and currently holds the 9th position.
Championship standings: #20
#7-8 Marco Zakouril
Average qualifying score: 86
Although Marco has not been performing well in the tandem runs, he has improved his qualification score by 2.6 points compared to last year. His highest score so far has been 87 points, which he achieved in the third round.
Championship standings: #21
#7-8 Jakub Przygonski
Average qualifying score: 86
If Kuba performs well in Riga, he will have a chance at winning the championship. He has shown qualification improvement, with a 2.6-point increase.
Championship standings: #7
#6 Duane McKeever
Average qualifying score: 86.33
Duane had an outstanding average qualification score of 92.4 last year. Although his performance hasn’t been exceptional this year, he’s only 29 points behind the championship leader.
Championship standings: #5
#4-5 Orjan Nilsen
Average qualifying score: 88.67
Orjan is having a tough time in the 2023 season. He has experienced a major crash in Sweden for the second year in a row, and his best performance in tandem battles was only a Top 16 finish in the opening round in Ireland. However, at Modello Park, Orjan managed to achieve his best qualification run this season, scoring 90 points.
Championship standings: #17
#4-5 Jack Shanahan
Average qualifying score: 88.67
Jack is currently trailing his brother, the championship leader, by only 16 points. However, he has room for improvement in the qualification area. His average score in this area is 7.8 points lower than it was in 2022.
Championship standings: #3
#3 Lauri Heinonen
Average qualifying score: 89
Wow, this is quite a surprise! Lauri was only ranked 17th in the championship standings for 2022, but now he is in second place. Additionally, Fin has improved significantly in qualifying, with his average score increasing by 7.2 points!
Championship standings: #2
#2 Conor Shanahan
Average qualifying score: 90.67
Introducing our current championship leader! During the Finland event, Conor achieved the highest qualification score of the season, earning 97 points and later on securing his fourth Drift Masters victory. It seems that this talented Irishman is on track to contend for the 2023 title!
Championship standings: #1
#1 Piotr Więcek
Average qualifying score: 91.67
Piotr had a promising start to the season with a victory at Mondello Park. Unfortunately, the past two rounds have not been as successful for the two-time Drift Masters champion in 2021 and 2022. It appears that Piotr is not performing as well in the qualifying rounds this year, with an average score that is 3.3 points lower than in previous years.
Championship standings: #6
