Cork’s iconic Spike Island will play host to one of the biggest days in the Irish motorsport calendar this year when Red Bull Drift Pursuit takes over the former military base on Saturday July 5th.
With storied prison walls as their backdrop, 16 of the country’s top drifters will go head-to-head in a fierce 1v1 knockout format which promises to exhilarate seasoned drift fans and newcomers alike.
This is no ordinary drift event – it will test the accuracy, control and speed of each and every driver on the track, pushing them to their absolute max. Drivers are judged on two key criteria; course time and clipping points, with penalties for any infringements.
Emerging talent from the Irish drift scene will be rubbing shoulders with some of the biggest names in motorsport in Red Bull athletes Conor Shanahan and Josh McErlean. Both drivers will perform on the day, alongside Conor’s brother Jack, delivering explosive demos that blend the rally power of Josh’s M-Sport World Rally Ford Puma with the drifting precision of Conor’s Toyota GT86 in a one-of-a-kind, gearbox-shredding display.
The event kicks off at 6.45pm, finishing at 8.30pm. Tickets are on sale now on the Red Bull website, priced at €45 for a standing ticket and €55 for a seated ticket. Ferry transfers from Ringaskiddy or Cobh are included in the ticket, with ferries running throughout the day.
On the announcement, Cork drifter and Red Bull athlete Conor Shanahan commented: “As a proud Corkman, it is incredible to see a drift event like this take place at such an iconic location like Spike Island. Some of the best drifters in Ireland will be competing, and I know Jack and I are looking forward to putting on a show.”
Before the action kicks off, spectators can avail of Spike Island tours to learn more about the island’s rich history as a naval base and more recently as a prison. Drift Masters Conor and Jack Shanahan will be doing a Q&A alongside WRC star Josh McErlean, while the drivers’ paddock will also be open to spectators keen to get a closer look at the action.
There are four Cork drivers among those set to compete at Red Bull Drift Pursuit, with Aidan Dennehy, Owen Magner, Trevor Healy and Alan Hynes, the 2024 Red Bull Drift Pursuit champion, all sure to benefit from a vocal local support.
The full 2025 grid competing in Red Bull Drift Pursuit is below:
| Stephen Halferty (Derry) | Aidan Dennehy (Cork) |
| Alex Butler (Louth) | Owen Magner (Cork) |
| Colin O’Sullivan (Kerry) | Trevor Healy (Cork) |
| Jack Caldwell (Tyrone) | Alan Hynes (Cork) *2024 RBDP Champ |
| Davan Leahy (Waterford) | Jake Davey (Galway) |
| Sean Carson (Tyrone) | Jakub Krzyszczak (Waterford) |
| Harry Kerr (Antrim) | Tom Hayden (Kildare) |
| Erikas Navickas (Kildare) | Alan O’Loghlen (Galway) |
| Peter Molloy (Down) | Craig Searles (Limerick) |
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