Drift Vs Grip: Nik Nak Vs Tauras Tunyla

Nik Nak Vs Tauras. Drift Vs Grip. It’s on! For one day only 18-year-old Latvian drift sensation Nikolass Bertans - "NIK NAK" to his fans - swapped race machines with Lithuanian Touring Car racer and 2019 TCR endurance vice champion Tauras Tunyla.

While Nik Nak strapped into the race developed Hyundai i30N TCR - complete with slick tyres, a full aero package, and a turbocharged 350 bhp engine; Tauras had the enviable challenge of wrestling a 700bhp V8-powered drift car. It was an epic Baltic horsepower crossover which saw the Monster Energy backed athletes shred the asphalt of the Biķernieki race circuit, just outside the historic city of Riga, Latvia.

After getting a taste of custom built V8 powered drift machinery, 30-year-old Tauras - who is also five-time Lithuanian National Karting Champion said: “It really feels like 700bhp that’s for sure! It’s pretty sick!” I was trying as hard as I could to feel how much inertia that car had when it started to slide. The response was incredible, which was something I didn't expect either. I was actually a little worried because I didn't know how much rear tyre I had left after a few slides - if I did that much wheelspin in my TCR the tyres would be finished straight away!

“TCR and Drift are very very different - the setup, power delivery, handling - everything is completely different compared to my Hyundai i30N TCR. But at the same time circuit racing is all about balance and there are many elements of the driving that I could use during this experience. I’ve done some rally driving in the winter with friends but drifting on purpose was something I haven't experienced before. I feel so pumped - my hands are shaking like never before from the adrenaline rush! I would love to do more drifting now - I’m hooked!”

NikNak, who has a successful season behind including winning the opening round of the Oman International Drift Championship added: “It was a crazy crazy crazy fun but weird experience! The car felt so smooth and precise - I was surprised how physical it was to drive. It was like a huge go- kart; you get so much more feedback through your hands because of how accurate you need to be on the racing lines.

“Overall the TCR car was a completely different world compared to what I’m normally used to. Everything was opposite to what I’m used to. The way it shifts and moves was amazing. The Hyundai is front wheel drive - so power delivery and steering all goes through the front, compared to my drift car where it’s all about putting the power and ‘steering’ in a way through the rear. I’d never driven a TCR before - I was thinking I could get the car sideways, but Tauras told me this wasn't a great idea! It was such a new experience and I’m super grateful for the opportunity.”
 

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