GT Radial said its tires were part of history recently when driver Amanda Sorensen became the first female driver to ever stand on a Formula Drift podium. She came in second place in the Formula Drift ProSpec Championship Round 2 – all drivers in this series compete on GT Radial Champiro SX2 RS tires.
Sorensen’s second place finish with her team, US Air Force/Sorensen Motorsports BMW, represents her best result since joining the Link ECU ProSpec Championship in 2021. It also meant she climbed from 36th to seventh in the points race with her performance at the Old Bridge Township Raceway.
“Our company is very supportive of women competing in professional motorsports, so we were thrilled to see Amanda on the podium in New Jersey,” GT Radial Motorsports Manager Mike Meeiem said.
In 2019, Giti Tire (which produces GT Radial tires) debuted a racing team of all-female drivers, coach and crew. This team has successfully competed at the 24-Hours Nürburgring and in numerous VLN Endurance races in Europe, the company said.
GT Radial tires also made the podium in Round 4 of the Formula Drift Pro Championship in New Jersey the following day (June 22) when Aurimas “Odi” Bakchis of Lithuania finished second in his Feal Suspension/GT Radial Nissan S15. Bakchis is now in second place in driver’s point standings, behind only James Deane who grabbed first place in New Jersey.
GT Radial began defense of its 2023 Formula Drift Tire Cup Championship on April 13 with a double podium finish at the Formula Drift Pro Championship Round 1 in Long Beach, CA, that included Bakchis.
Teams on GT Radial Champiro SX2 RS tires, which are manufactured at the company’s plant in Richburg, SC, scored the most points over the eight races in the 2023 season, enabling GT Radial to best four other tire brands to claim the Tire Cup, the manufacturer said. In 2023, GT Radial achieved a total of 13 podiums and three wins in the 2023 season’s eight races.
According to GT Radial, the tire renewed its partnership last year with Formula Drift for another three-year term to provide tires to teams in the Pro Championship. Additionally, GT Radial is the official tire of the ProSpec series for up-and-coming drivers, Giti said.
