Shavkat Rakhmonov takes on drift while away from competition
Kazakh mixed martial artist Shavkat Rakhmonov continues to master drifting. He made an appearance on the track again during the second round of Kazakhstan’s Gorilla Drift tournament and showed visible progress. Kursiv Cars attended the event and observed the athlete’s improvement in the driver’s seat.
However, Rakhmonov is not currently competing for points in the official standings. According to the organizers, he continues to train and master the drifting technique. Beyond that, the martial artist could stand on a starting line with professionals as early as fall.
Nearly 50 drivers took the start
The second round of Gorilla Drift, held on June 21 at Sokol International Circuit near Almaty, was one of the largest events of the current season. Organizers said 49 drivers from different regions of Kazakhstan took part in the competition. Spectators saw qualifying runs and tandem battles, in which drivers fought for victory in close and spectacular duels.
Yevgeniy Chumatidi from Almaty, driving a Mercedes C500, took the win at the round.
The top three finishers were as follows:
- First place: Yevgeniy Chumatidi (Mercedes C500);
- Second place: Grigoriy Kuznetsov (Nissan Laurel);
- Third place: Vladimir Zavyalov (Toyota Altezza).
Zavyalov also won qualifying, scoring 101 points.
«This victory is a merit of my entire team who spent long nights preparing the car for this round. Competition in Kazakhstani drift has grown to a high level — there are no weak opponents in the bracket,» Chumatidi noted.
Rakhmonov gave spectators drift rides
Shavkat Rakhmonov was one of the standout figures of the event, taking part in demonstration runs and later giving drift rides to raffle winners and auction participants organized during the competition.
Rakhmonov tried drifting for the first time in spring 2026. At that time, he said he wanted to go beyond the Octagon and began special training. It seems his interest in controlled skidding has not faded.
The next round of Gorilla Drift is scheduled for Sept. 5.
