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On September 12–13, 2025, fans gathered in large numbers at PGE Narodowy in Warsaw for the last time this season to watch the world’s top drifters in action. The final round of the series – the Red Bull Drift Masters Grand Finale – attracted as many as 50,000 spectators to the stadium. Excitement was high as 48 drivers delivered spectacular controlled-drift runs, fighting for a place in the TOP 32.
Friday’s qualifying, held on a specially prepared track on the stadium floor, confirmed the event’s prestige. To advance to the next stage, drivers had to score at least 88.5 points – a high bar indeed. Six out of eight Polish drivers successfully qualified, and three of them made it into the top five. Jakub Król triumphed with a score of 98.0 points, followed closely by Piotr Więcek and James Deane (both 97.2 points), with Kevin Pesur (96.5) and Paweł Korpuliński (96.0) rounding out the top five. Korpuliński narrowly missed qualifying for the Qualifying Shootout by just half a point.
In Saturday’s TOP 32 battles, Paweł Korpuliński started in the seventh pairing against Oleksii Holovnia. Smooth initiation, precise driving, and an effective chase ensured his advancement to the TOP 16. To the surprise of fans, he was the only Polish driver to win in the first stage. Piotr Więcek’s elimination meant that the Drift Masters 2025 title was already secured by Conor Shanahan after the TOP 32.
In the TOP 16, Korpuliński faced 17-year-old Conor Falvey. The Irish driver tried to keep pace with the confidently driving Pole, but a slight separation decided the outcome. In the chase position, Paweł drove flawlessly, staying close to Falvey’s Nissan and deservedly advancing to the TOP 8. Joining him in the quarterfinals were Naoki Nakamura, Alan Hynes, Adam LZ, Conor Shanahan, Espen Rodhe, James Deane, and Jack Shanahan.
In the fight for a semifinal spot, Korpuliński faced Adam LZ. Once again, the Pole demonstrated excellent track awareness – hitting the zones deeply and forcing his opponent into errors. In the counter run, the American clipped a concrete barrier and lost his rear bumper, which, combined with Paweł’s clean run, secured him a place in the TOP 4. Alongside him, Naoki Nakamura, Conor Shanahan, and James Deane also advanced.
The semifinal clash between the Pole and the Japanese driver was extremely close – both runs were of the highest level. The judges called for a One More Time, and in the replay, Korpuliński drove more precisely, advancing to the grand final and improving on his PGE Narodowy 2023 result. In the other semifinal, Shanahan defeated Deane, who had to settle for the battle for third place.
In the fight for the podium, Naoki Nakamura outperformed Deane, delivering smooth and spectacular runs to claim third place in the final round.
The climax of the evening was the showdown between Paweł Korpuliński and Conor Shanahan. As the lead driver, Paweł drove smoothly, cleanly, and very close to the barriers, while maintaining minimal distance during the chase. Unfortunately, a minor contact with the Irishman’s car at the end of the run cost him the victory – the judges called for a replay.
In the One More Time, both drivers once again showcased their skills. This time, Paweł failed to fit into one of the final zones, and although he stayed very close to Shanahan in the chase, it wasn’t enough for the win. Ultimately, he finished second, yielding to the new world champion.
After the Red Bull Drift Masters Grand Finale, the overall standings were as follows:
- Conor Shanahan – 490 pts
- Piotr Więcek – 406 pts
- Jack Shanahan – 351 pts
- Paweł Korpuliński – 327 pts (career-best result and first podium of the season)
The TOP 8 was completed by James Deane, Kevin Pesur, Lauri Heinonen, and Oliver Randalu.
