The 2026 Formula DRIFT Midseason Report: Who Can Win the Title?
With Round 3 complete and five events remaining, we break down every realistic title contender in Formula DRIFT 2026 and their chances of claiming the championship.
Three rounds into the 2026 Formula DRIFT season, the championship picture is unusually complicated. Four drivers are within 127 points of the lead, and the second half of the season features venues that suit different driving styles.
Chelsea DeNofa — FAVOURITE (312 pts)
DeNofa leads but knows it. A win in Round 1, two further podiums — he has been the most complete driver of the opening three rounds. His Ford Mustang RTR is mechanically superior to many rivals' packages and DeNofa himself is driving with a maturity not always evident in previous seasons. The championship is his to lose.
Fredric Aasbø — STRONG CONTENDER (298 pts, -14)
Fourteen points is nothing. Aasbø won Round 2 and has been top-four in every event this year. He has two championships to his name and knows exactly how to manage a title fight. Do not discount him.
James Deane — DARK HORSE (285 pts, -27)
Deane is 27 points back but is arguably the best driver in the field. His Texas win demonstrated that he can close the gap in a single event. The later rounds at Las Vegas and Irwindale historically suit his technical, measured approach. If Deane wins two of the remaining five rounds, he will be champion.
Ryan Tuerck — OUTSIDE CHANCE (271 pts, -41)
Forty-one points is a deficit but not a death sentence. Tuerck needs to win at Road Atlanta and stay consistent. Any collapse from the top three and he's right back in it.
Verdict: DeNofa to win, but Deane will push him to the final round.