Round 1 Complete: Grossman Sweeps the Final Four, Qi Wang Claims the First Home Podium

Shanghai Tianma Circuit, June 7, 2026 — Round 1 of the Royal Drift Series is complete. Maksim Grossman (#44, TIMEUP) wins the Tandem Final with a perfect 3–0 record in the TOP-4 round-robin and leaves Shanghai as the championship leader.

Sunday opened with the TOP-32 tandem bracket set by Saturday's qualifying. Battle by battle, a field of 42 drivers from 7 countries was cut to 16, then to 8, until only four remained. The Final Four format leaves no room for luck: a round-robin where everyone faces everyone — 3 points for a win, 1 for a tie, 0 for a loss.

Grossman was flawless: three battles, three wins, a maximum nine points — the only driver of the day with a zero-mistake run when it mattered most. The victory makes him the first round winner of the championship season, and the 340,000 ¥ winner's check topped off the weekend for the TIMEUP driver.

Sebastian Fontijn (#76, RYDANZ 441B.W UPDRIFT) took second with two wins — his only defeat came against the champion himself. Consistent through every stage of the bracket, Fontijn collected the 240,000 ¥ runner-up check and confirmed that RYDANZ 441B.W UPDRIFT will be a force all season long.

The loudest cheers of the evening went to Qi Wang (#99, CHAMPION SPEED SPORTS DRS DRIFTING TEAM): third place, a 135,000 ¥ check and the first home podium of the season for a Chinese driver. Zhang Sheng Jun (#90, ZERO MILEAGE LUBRICANTS NUO YU GC-ZM RACING TEAM) completed the Final Four — a top-4 finish in the toughest company of the weekend is a start to be proud of.

Round 1 will be remembered for two heroes. Saturday belonged to Russian driver Artêm Shabanov (#77, TIMEUP, Toyota Supra A80), whose 99-point run — one point short of perfection — made him Best Qualifier of the round, ahead of Pawel Korpulinski from Poland (95.5) and Finnish driver, Welcome Round winner Jarkko Jylhä (94). But tandem racing takes no prisoners: Shabanov closed the weekend fifth overall — and with a score to settle at Round 2.

第一站后车手积分榜 · Driver standings after Round 1:

1. Maksim Grossman (#44) — 222
2. Sebastian Fontijn (#76) — 191
3. 王祺 · Qi Wang (#99) — 162
4. 张盛铧 · Zhang Sheng Jun (#90) — 141
5. Artêm Shabanov (#77) — 135
6. Pawel Korpulinski (#74) — 131
7. Jarkko Jylhä (#63) — 129

Round 1 – Shanghai – FULL RESULTS

Beyond the scoreboard, Round 1 delivered everything a season opener should: packed spectator zones, tandem battles through walls of tire smoke under the Royal Drift Series arch, and a paddock open to fans all weekend long. The series' first trophies have found their owners.