RP-X™-Equipped Egdell Shows Promise in First Drift France Round

“Drift France Round 1 certainly set the season off with a bang!

“With the car doing double duty—Luke competing in Pro and myself in Elite – it made for a challenging weekend full of highs and lows. Luke received a wildcard entry to compete at the home track of LM Autosport 86 at Val d’Vienne just a few weeks before the event, which meant a huge push from the whole team to get everything dialled in for the season opener.”

“The event kicked off on Friday with media day. This included practice sessions and passenger runs for sponsors, the public, and championship officials. During testing, I was able to really push the car to its limits, although the day ended slightly early after breaking a lower arm on a rumble strip. The team worked hard that evening to repair and realign everything, getting the car ready for Saturday.

“Saturday consisted of practice and qualifying. During practice, Luke unfortunately bent the steering arm twice, but thanks to support from another driver, we were able to get back out in time for qualifying. With the Pro class running first in worsening weather conditions, Luke delivered a strong performance and secured 5th place.”

“I followed in the Elite qualifying session and managed a solid first run scoring 75 points, placing me 7th. On my second run, I pushed harder and went wider, but a slight wheel drop on clip 5 meant I matched my previous score—frustrating, as it likely cost a top 3 position.

“Sunday was race day. Luke drove a strong Top 16 battle to secure a place in the Top 8, but unfortunately had to withdraw due to a cracked rear diff plate causing an oil leak on track. Despite this, he finished an impressive 7th place in his first ever CFD event—great job!”

“After a rapid repair, the car was ready for my Top 32 battle. However, we quickly discovered a major loss of power. Post-run checks revealed a split inlet plenum, causing a significant loss of boost across the rev range. Up against a 1000hp competitor on one of the fastest tracks of the season, it was always going to be tough. I gave it everything, but multiple corrections in the chase run ultimately cost the battle.

“Overall, Round 1 was an incredible start to the season and a true team effort under pressure. It’s shaping up to be one of the most exciting CFD seasons yet.

“As always, thank you for your continued support—we look forward to seeing you all at the next event. Round 2 is just two weeks away, featuring an all-night battle at Vesoul.”