Formula D vs. D1GP

  • Thread starter kjb
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kjb

kjb

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mrbabyboyd
I was watching Redline TV (or whatever the show is called) and they had a segment where they showed the D1 drivers (japan) vs. the Formula D drivers (USA). In a surprise Vaughn Gittin Jr. ended up winning this event. He beat the No.1 driver in D1GP ( I can't remember his name) on the way to winning the event. My question is does anybody feel that the US drifters have finally caught up to the Japanese drivers.
My personal opinion is not quite although Jr won he was the only American in the final 8. Even the Crazy Swede got beat. Don't get me wrong I love D1 but I still feel the Japanese drifters are a little bit better.
 
I'd say the D1 guys are definitely better overall, though the top guys from each side are about equal.

I think there are too many factors to determine which side is the "best," because the drivers have different budgets, places to practice, cars, tires, etc.
 
Well, honestly it's a little hard to tell whether or not - on a technical level - the D1GP drivers as a whole are better than the Formula Drift drivers because of the blatant bias of D1GP judges, Keiichi Tsuchiya in particular.

After all, did you know that when J.R. Gitten took that win, Tsuchiya cut bait and left the track in disgust, not attending the podium ceremony to give Gitten his trophy?

I'd wager at this point that you could put Formula Drift and D1GP on any track together and it'd be a square match. The main problem at this point with Formula Drift's drivers is that many of the mid-pack guys are inconsistent (Hiro Sumida, Kenji Yamanaka, Ryan Hampton, Tyler McQuarrie).
 
There are differences in tire, which I believe is the only tech difference, and that makes a huge difference in quality, ease, and sustainability of drift. Now, I don't particularly like drifting, I don't really watch it, but as I understand drifting has only really showed up on this side of the Pacific recently where the Japanese in particular have been doing it for at least a decade longer, giving them more knowledge etc. The U.S. based drivers appear to be catching up quickly and I'd say the top guys are probably equal, there is just more depth in Japan. Does that seem about right?

m.piedgros
 
From what I see the tracks mostly used in the US vs the tracks mostly used in Japan vary greatly.

When ever I see US drift events on TV or online they are on Nascar ovals which have been modified for some extra corners, while in Japan most of their tracks used for events are rather small and tight. This is not a rule but to me it seems they practice generally on very different circuits, you wont see the D1 drivers practicing on a long banked concrete walled corner from a oval track in Japan so its different for them and their car generally are not setup that way so they have to adapt.
 
in my opinion.. yasuyuki kazama lose in that comp because of the track line, it not the same like irwindale.. it has been switch... a bit difficult to master it in a few day training..
 
Is there a name of the publisher, published date, or date accessed info? I’m trying to get a mla citation from this site for a school project
 

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