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Drift Masters 2025 – Round Two in Finland: Wet Conditions, Fierce Battles, and a Breakthrough for Paweł Korpuliński
After the season-opening round at Spain’s Circuito de Madrid Jarama – RACE, the world’s top drift drivers headed north to Finland for Round Two of Drift Masters 2025. The venue: PowerPark Huvivaltio in Alahärmä – Finland’s largest amusement park, located just 66 kilometers north of Seinäjoki. Alongside adrenaline-packed attractions, the park also features a karting circuit, which last weekend was transformed into a high-stakes drifting battleground.
Despite rainy weather and challenging conditions, the crowd came out in force – and they were rewarded with nonstop action from the drivers. The qualifying runs quickly revealed just how competitive the field had become: the threshold to reach the TOP 32 was an impressive 85.5 points, a sharp increase from 77 points in the previous round. James Deane once again topped the qualifying leaderboard with a near-perfect 98.5 points, followed closely by fellow Irishman Duane McKeever (98.0), with Piotr Więcek in third (97.2). Just off the podium were Naoki Nakamura, Oliver Randalu, Jack Shanahan, Itay Sadeh, and Paweł Korpuliński, who placed eighth with a strong 95.0 points.
TOP 32: Korpuliński Eliminates Piskolty
In Saturday’s TOP 32, Paweł Korpuliński faced Hungarian driver Kevin Piskolty in the third tandem battle. Thanks to his higher qualifying position, the 30-year-old Polish driver had the right to choose his starting role – and opted to chase first. On a water-logged track filled with puddles, the challenge was not only to stick close to the lead car but also to maintain clean lines and smooth transitions. Korpuliński did just that, outperforming Piskolty in both runs and securing a spot in the TOP 16.
TOP 16: Confident Win Over Zakouřil
Next up: a face-off against Czech driver Marco Zakouřil. Korpuliński again started as the chaser, cleanly mirroring his rival’s lines. As the lead driver, he demonstrated wide, controlled drifts through the zones – earning a clear nod from the judges. He advanced confidently to the TOP 8, joining fellow Poles Piotr Więcek and Jakub Przygoński.
TOP 8: Stunning Upset Against James Deane
In the quarterfinals, Korpuliński was matched against none other than James Deane, winner of both 2025 qualifying sessions to date and a four-time Formula Drift champion. Undaunted, the Polish driver applied pressure rather than succumb to it. Both drivers delivered spectacular runs, but each made slight errors. The result: One More Time.
In the rerun, Korpuliński raised his game once more. His composed aggression and precision tipped the scales, and in a surprise result, Paweł Korpuliński advanced to the semifinals – as the only Polish driver remaining. The other drivers in the TOP 4 were Tor Arne Kvia, Lauri Heinonen, and Conor Shanahan.
Semifinals & Bronze Battle
In the semifinal, a late error from Korpuliński in the second run allowed Tor Arne Kvia from Norway to secure a place in the final. Meanwhile, Conor Shanahan came out on top against Lauri Heinonen in the second semifinal.
This set the stage for a third-place showdown between Paweł Korpuliński and local favorite Lauri Heinonen. Backed by the Finnish crowd, Heinonen edged out the Polish driver, who had to settle for fourth place – nonetheless a career-best result in Drift Masters to date.
The Final: Shanahan Takes the Win
In the final, Conor Shanahan defeated Tor Arne Kvia to claim victory in Round Three of Drift Masters 2025 and take the lead in the overall championship standings.
Thanks to his strong result in Finland, Paweł Korpuliński now sits in 8th place overall with 100 points, making him the highest-ranked Polish driver in the field.
The next round of Drift Masters will take place later this month – June 28–29 – at Mondello Park in Ireland.
