It’s taken just a few days of restoration, however I can now lastly replicate on the insanity of Gatebil’s 2024 Principal Occasion, held at Rudskogen Motorsenter in Rakkestad, Norway.
Going into it, I by no means know the way this annual three-day competition of automotive lunacy will end up, what kind of pictures I’ll come away with, or how a lot my well being may have deteriorated by the tip of it. It’s at all times a blended bag.
This yr I skilled Gatebil at Rudskogen within the moist. And whereas I had the consolation of capturing the Tremendous 3 apply and qualifying session from the media room window, limiting my images to that angle wouldn’t make for good protection.
I feared ruining my gear at Gatebil’s 2024 Summer time Competition at Mantorp Park in Sweden a few weeks in the past, however this time, I took my probabilities and headed out. Being up shut and private with automobiles coming at you sideways is exhilarating. Rain or not, that is the Gatebil I love.
Positive, the automobiles had been drifting slower than standard, however that’s to be anticipated. The Rudskogen Motorsenter monitor is like an ice skating rink when the rain falls, and that makes it not possible for groups to go all out. On the flip facet, it’s simpler for them to stay collectively.
Like, actually. Right here’s ‘Group Skilled Kids’ doing their finest bumper automobile impression.
Fascinated about it days later, all these drivers began sliding both within the rain or on ice. That is Scandinavia and drifting isn’t unique to the summer time months. Possibly I ought to attend an ice monitor occasion when winter rolls round…
Regardless of the climate situations, the Gatebil crowd cherished it.
Components Drift royalty Fredric Aasbø was having a superb time as one of many Tremendous 3 judges this yr.
Simen Olsen, one other Components D driver, was out drifting in his MkV Toyota Supra. Following his companions, Ole Morten Davanger and Joachim Haugenes in Group Supreme, Simen seemed to have all the things underneath management.
After the Tremendous 3 qualifying session, I checked out Rudskogen Motorsenter’s new 1,800sq/m important constructing, which connects to the outdated pit garages.
Accomplished earlier this yr, the brand new constructing has lifted the profile of your entire facility. It options places of work, terraces, jury rooms, pit packing containers, and a brand new media middle with a view of the outdated Würth constructing the place I used to be sleeping for the weekend.
I additionally discovered Components Drift’s Jacob Getting and Sara Haro from the Netflix sequence Hyperdrive being interviewed for an upcoming Tremendous 3 documentary being produced by my good mates Samuel Kolsmyr and Linus Johnson. Jacob and Sara had some fascinating issues to say about their Gatebil expertise, so look out for the movie.
The paddock is likely one of the most fascinating locations to spend time at Gatebil’s Principal Occasion. This magical world of open hoods and insane engine swaps by no means ceases to amaze me.
It’s the place I wish to spend Thursday night at this occasion, whereas issues are nonetheless considerably organized. I’ll dive deeper into this yr’s paddock happenings in one other submit.
The setting solar was my cue to get out of there and seize some shut-eye forward of the occasion kicking off correctly the next morning.
Fridays are at all times a spectacle. It’s the primary day all competing automobiles are let free on the monitor in 5 classes.
4 of those 5 classes have one thing to do with completely different ranges of drifting. They’re Drift Line Professional, Drift Line Rookie, Open Line, and Straight Line. It’s usually exhausting to tell apart which class is which, however all of the automobiles go sideways regardless.
The one class the place drivers don’t need any oversteer motion is Gatebil Excessive. These monitor monsters are designed purely for pace, and the range is loopy.
Such is Gatebil, that one minute you might be watching these time assault weapons cornering with an insane quantity of grip…
…and the subsequent minute a Volkswagen Transporter is coming at you sideways.
The place else are you able to see two Volvo bricks sandwiching a MkIV Toyota Supra? I’m at all times blown away by what this competition brings.
With a lot experimentation in lots of Gatebil automobiles, the inevitable usually occurs.
Which in flip means wrenching within the paddock by no means stops.
Whereas drivers and followers had been getting ready for the ultimate Tremendous 3 showdown, I used to be in a briefing room absorbing some trackside info.
Why, you ask? As I discussed in my Gatebil Summer time Competition protection, I had by no means skilled drifting from the passenger seat. I figured the most effective place to pop this cherry was at Rudskogen. After sitting by means of a 30-minute presentation on the ins and outs of a Gatebil passenger experience, I obtained a yellow wristband, which allowed me to experience in any automobile on the monitor that had a spare seat going. I did discover somebody, and I’ll share my expertise with you quickly, so look out for that.
First up, although, it was Tremendous 3 finals.
What’s Tremendous 3 precisely? Merely talking, it’s a drift competitors the place groups of three drivers slide their automobiles as shut as bodily attainable to one another by means of a judged part.
It actually is likely one of the finest issues to hit the drifting scene.
After qualifying within the rain on Thursday, Friday’s competitors performed out in dry situations – till the skies opened once more.
Whereas some groups struggled within the changeable situations, Group Supreme’s closing run with FD driver Simen Olsen within the combine was textbook stuff. The trio left a smoke display of their wake that utterly engulfed Pariskurvan (Paris Nook).
The Gatebil crowd loves tire smoke. Drivers, typically not a lot.
Minutes after the primary raindrops fell, the climate gods determined to pummel Rudskogen with all their may. One of many favourite groups, Sørby Utleie By Samsonas, navigated the moist monitor with ability, however within the closing meters of the part, Andreas Øvergaard hit a dry patch and misplaced management of his Nissan Skyline R33.
That noticed victory go to Group Supreme. Sure, the rain stopped once more.
What began as an ideal day led to a really moist and muddy Rudskogen Motorsenter. The individuals of Gatebil didn’t appear to thoughts although; Friday night time had arrived and the occasion animals had been prepared to chop free.
Keep tuned for extra from Gatebil’s 2024 Principal Occasion.
Alen Haseta
Instagram: hazetaa
