Drift Hype: Takahiro Ueno Coming To Formula Drift This Year

In its 10+ years Formula Drift has pretty much surpassed D1 as the world’s most recognizable drifting series.  That success has prompted several of Japan’s best drivers to fly across the ocean to compete in the US-based Formula Drift.  Most notably Daigo Saito who won the Formula Drift championship in his “rookie” season.  According to Wrecked Magazine the next Japanese driver looking to try their hand at Formula Drift is D1 staple Takahiro Ueno.  Ueno is known for his smooth style and love for the Toyota Soarer (AKA the Lexus SC coupe in the US).  Ueno is also the founder and owner of Car Make T&E which produces the Vertex brand of aero kits.

Wrecked Magazine claims that Ueno is selling his current competition car, a BMW powered by a 2JZ engine and will pilot a Lexus RC coupe (like the one pictured above) here in America.

While Wrecked is a pretty good source when it comes to this kind of thing, there hasn’t been any “official” confirmation from Ueno or Formula Drift yet so technically I have to categorize this as “rumor” but I am pretty confident that this will come to fruition.

Hopefully, we’ll get to see Ueno make his Formula Drift debut in April when the season kicks off but time will tell.

What do you think about this news?  Do you think Ueno is really coming to Formula Drift?  How do you think he would do against the current crop of drivers?  Let us know your thoughts in the comments or tweet to us @MotorworldHype.

[Source: WreckedMagazine.com]