2026 Set To Be One Memorable Year In Formula Drift At Long Beach

Drivers rip through the Formula Drift Long Beach course during the 2026 Long Beach Grand Prix media day. Peter Nelson While IndyCar, late ‘70s/early ‘80s Formula 1, and IMSA (International Motor Sports Association) are often the first professional racing series that come to enthusiasts’ mind when they think of the Long Beach Grand Prix , the seaside city’s streets truly come alive in another symphony of tire smoke, horsepower, and top-level driver skill: Formula Drift . 2026 marks two decades of FD going down in the SoCal city.

It’s widely known among fans as the series’ season kick-off, but has also filled in other spots on the calendar. Regardless of which month, the aural and visual drama has always had the same effect—the significance of achieving extreme oversteer on the same tarmac graced by other world-renowned series is never lost on fans. Especially with the beautiful city skyline in the background.

The brand-new Formula Drift Hall of Fame monument near the Long Beach Grand Prix circuit. Peter Nelson Multiple Formula Drift Milestones Earlier this week, to celebrate 20 years of FD in Long Beach, the series unveiled a Formula Drift Hall of Fame monument on the venue’s hallowed ground near the city’s convention center. In addition to various hall of fame inductees’ names, it features a brilliant design showing the tire compounds that tore across the circuit back in 2006, as told to me by fellow automotive journalist Ryan Zummallen .

This year, the series inducted 2011 winner and overall series legend Dai Yoshihara. History is being made in other areas this season, too: Formula Drift and Racer Network have signed an exclusive broadcast deal to bolster the series’ coverage and fan engagement. There are new segments to the schedule and methods of watching event coverage, so be sure to check out how and when to watch .