10 Things We Learned From FD Orlando
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Odi Bakchis is the one to beat.
Aurimas Bakchis takes the top spot in the 2026 Formula Drift Championship race after winning round three at Orlando Speed World. It was a hard fought battle to the top as he had to contend not only with defending 5 time champion, James Deane, but also competitors who have been dialed in this season starting with Simen Olsen, Dan Burkett, Jack Shanahan and Branden Sorensen. The new chassis that Odi has been running this season has come out with a bang as he continues to look smooth and comfortable in competition.
Forsberg Is Still a Top Contender But Has Work To Do
Chris Forsberg took the top spot in qualifying with an 85.8 just barely beating out Pro Rookie Cole Richards who had an 85.6. He continued to look strong through 32 and on to 16 until he ultimately made a mistake in the chase run in the great 8 against Branden Sorensen. While he looked strong in Orlando, Forsberg will have to find a way to squeeze a little bit more out of his Nissan Z to move up the standings as he currently sits in 8th place.
Branden Sorensen Charges Up The Rankings
Branden Sorensen continues to be strong against hard competition and Round 3 was no different. He qualified 8th but brought his best stuff to competition day where he moved up to the Top 4 eventually losing to Odi. He currently sits 3rd in the Championship.
Aasbo's Slow and Steady Approach
As someone who has not been making too much of a statement the past couple years, Fredric Aasbo is sitting comfortably in 4th place in the standings. He qualified in 3rd and ultimately stayed in 3rd on the podium for competition. This slow and methodical momentum could put him in place for a top 3 finish for the season.
Rad Dan's Solid Bounce Back
Rad Dan Burkett started off the weekend a bit slowly. He had some mechanical issues in his first qualifying run and only getting a 66.7 in his second run putting him in the 28th spot for practice. He looked solid on competition day, but the wet conditions and his Top 16 battle against the event winner, Odi Bakchis, has him sitting in 16th so far in the season standings.
Ryan Tuerck's Big Slip Up
As we continue to watch what is intended to be Ryan Tuerck’s last full year competing in Formula Drift we are hoping he has a great final season. Unfortunately due to the wet conditions Tuerck went a little too hard in Top 16 against Dylan Hughes creating contact and causing massive damage to his front suspension. The Papadakis Racing team worked hard during their competition time out to attempt repairs but unfortunately were not able to get him back out on track in time. We look forward to seeing what he brings to Connecticut. Tuerck currently sits at 11th in the standings.
Jeff Jones' Bad Luck
Jeff Jones looked solid during qualifying. Taking what appeared to be a slower but more methodical pace to ensure all the zones and points were hit to create a 5th place score of 82.9.He out-qualified many of the greats such as James Deane and Odi Bakchis. Unfortunately Jeff had an incident where his steering wheel ended up breaking his hand causing him to compete with one fully working hand.
James Deane Off Form
The competition for Champion has been a tough one for James Deane so far in 2026. He has yet to win a race through the first three rounds this year and the points difference between the Top 8 drivers in the standings are within 50 points of each other. We will continue to watch the season closely as it continues.
The Hardest Battle Was The Weather
One thing that can typically be certain when it comes to Orlando Speed World is the effect that the Florida weather can have on competition. For those who have never experienced it, the daily afternoon thunderstorms that pass through can not only cause wet conditions in the middle of competition but also increase the humidity in the area to unbearable levels as the clouds clear and the sun boils the water left on the track. This year however, the rain couldn’t make up its mind if it wanted to stick around or go away, causing several teams to make adjustments throughout the day.
OSW Falls Short
As a track that has been a staple of Formula Drift for the better part of a decade, the actual condition of the track has a lot to be desired. While some issues have been fixed over the years, like the jump that was in the middle of the track, other issues are arising as time goes on. This year an entire section of the catch fence collapsed onto the racing surface. It appears the base of the fence’s uprights might have rusted at the base and the signage attached to the chain link might have acted as a sail, pulling the fence inward with the wind.
