FIA Intercontinental Drifting Cup Returns For 2025 With Record Driver Lineup
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The 2025 FIA Intercontinental Drifting Cup makes its long-awaited return to Riga, Latvia, on October 3-4 after a four-year hiatus, and this year’s edition promises to be the biggest yet.
Best known for the “Riga, baby!” viral videos and as one of the wildest events on the Drift Masters calendar, the 2025 IDC has attracted 45 drivers representing 33 countries – nearly double the field size from the competition’s early Japan years. This year’s international lineup even includes Jamaica.
Bikernieki Circuit’s long, high-speed transitions and unforgiving walls make it arguably the most exciting drift venue in Europe, and there’s plenty of talent within the field.
Big names heading to Latvia
Pawel Korpulinski, who recently reached the Drift Masters final in Poland and finished 4th overall, will be looking to add an FIA title to his resume.
Formula DRIFT Japan’s Hokuto Matsuyama is making the trip in his Toyota GR Supra, while plenty more Drift Masters regulars are also confirmed.
That includes Poland’s Jakub Przygonski (2024 FIA Motorsport Games champion), Oliver Randalu, Nikolass (NikNak) Bertans, and Benediktas Cirba.
Brazil’s João Barion and France’s Alexandre Claudin, both known for their appearances on Hyperdrive, will also be competing.
2025 FIA IDC event schedule
Here’s when the action will be going down:
Friday, October 3
- Practice: 09:30-12:00 (UK: 08:30-11:00, ET: 03:30-06:00, PT: 00:30-03:00)
- Qualifying: 12:30-15:00 (UK: 11:30-14:00, ET: 06:30-09:00, PT: 03:30-06:00)
Saturday, October 4
- Top 32 practice: 10:00-12:00 (UK: 09:00-11:00, ET: 04:00-06:00, PT: 01:00-03:00)
- Opening ceremony: 12:30-13:00 (UK: 11:30-12:00, ET: 06:30-07:00, PT: 03:30-04:00)
- Top 32 battles: 13:30-16:30 (UK: 12:30-15:30, ET: 07:30-10:30, PT: 04:30-07:30)
- Prize-giving: 17:00 (UK: 16:00, ET: 11:00, PT: 08:00)
What is the FIA Intercontinental Drifting Cup?
It’s unique since it’s the only FIA-sanctioned international drift event, and it’s a one-off weekend rather than a full-season championship.
First held in 2017 with 24 drivers from 14 countries, it spent its first three years in Japan before venturing to Europe, where Ireland’s (now five-time FD champ) James Deane took the crown when it first hit Riga in 2021.
The FIA IDC has been on pause since 2021. During the hiatus, the FIA drifting continued through the FIA Motorsport Games, with Jakub Przygonski claiming gold in Valencia last year. Formula DRIFT’s Simen Olsen landed silver, and Joakim Andersson got bronze.
No official livestream has been announced yet, but historically, these events stream via YouTube. Keep an eye on the FIA IDC Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube channels for updates.
In the meantime, you can catch highlights from the 2024 FIA Motorsport Games here:
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Bill is a writer and photographer who has been part of the Drifted team since 2015. His work extends to various print and online publications, including Wangan Warriors.
As part of the King of Nations team, he traveled extensively for several years, capturing top-tier international drift events worldwide. His hands-on experience, including rebuilding his own Nissan Silvia S15 drift car, gives him unique insights into drift car building and global drift culture.
When not behind the lens or keyboard, Bill can be found browsing classifieds for his next JDM project or shredding virtual tires on popular simulators like Assetto Corsa, CarX, and Forza.
You can learn more about Bill’s story here or follow his socials on X (formerly Twitter), Flickr, Facebook, and Instagram.
