Drift Vs Grip: Nik Nak Vs Tauras Tunyla

    It’s on! For one day only 18-year-old Latvian drift sensation Nikolass Bertans swapped race machines with Lithuanian Touring Car racer and 2019 TCR endurance vice champion 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.”

Full article is here.

Video. 

Meet the Drifters – The rising stars of the European drifting scene (pt.3 – Nikolass “NikNak” Bertans)

   When it comes to the art of drifting, Nikolass Bertans is a true master. Known for his exceptional skills and precision behind the wheel, he has earned a reputation as one of the most talented drifters in the Baltics and beyond.

   As a drifter, “NikNak” pushes the limits of control and skill, effortlessly manoeuvring his car through hairpin turns and tight corners. His ability to maintain control while executing high-speed slides is nothing short of awe-inspiring. With years of experience under his belt, Nikolass Bertans has honed his craft to perfection.

Nikolass “NikNak” Bertans

   By age of just 5 years, he first got in touch with drifting by inspiration from his dad and his friends. He then became interested and addicted to the sport and ultimately started driving when he turned 9 years old.

   By age 12, he already had assistance and coaching from Latvian drift legend Kristaps Blušs. As a result, the media became aware of the young Latvian and reported about him in all kinds of online and offline publications. The media hype hardly impressed him, so he soon participated in the first competitions. His dedication to mastering every aspect of drifting sets him apart from others in the field. From understanding vehicle dynamics to reading track conditions, he possesses an unparalleled level of expertise that allows him to execute flawless drifts repeatedly.

   To this day, he has collected many trophies all over Europe. He is already a Latvian Champion, Baltic Champion, NEZ Drift Champion, Iron Drift King Champion, and many other trophies. His commitment to pushing boundaries and constantly improving has made him a force to be reckoned with in the drifting world. In conclusion, Nikolass Bertans is more than just a drifter – he is a true master of his craft. His unmatched skill and dedication have solidified his place among the elite in the world of drifting.

   As he continues to push boundaries and inspire others, there’s no doubt that Nikolass Bertans will leave an indelible mark on this exhilarating motorsport for years to come.

Full article is here.

Two Latvian PRO drift drivers will start their 2023 season in Oman

   For several years now, the Oman Automobile Association / الجمعة العُمانية العربية invites several national drifters to give a great opportunity to start the season directly with them. While we are enjoying winter in Latvia, it is the right time to start the drift championship in Oman.

   In 2020, Latvia was represented in Oman by Kristaps Bluš and Nikolass Bertāns. Nikolass Bertans plan was to go to Oman in the 2021 season, but only Nikolass car spent a kind of "off-season" there, because the competition was canceled due to Covid, but the car so to speak "wintered" in a container to Oman and home from there. Latvian drivers skipped the 2022 season in Oman.

   Latvian Pro drift drivers Edgars Kroģeris and Edgars Kroģeris will start the season in Oman in 2023, they are not only competitors on the track, but also teammates in the Viada team in the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

    This will be the first experience of this kind for Edgars Krogeris, so Nikolass Bertāns is going to Oman already with experience of the track, knowing most of the competitors and their driving style, understanding of temperature changes on the track and also experience of podiums, because in one of the stages of 2020 Bertāns won the high 2 .place on the podium.

   Along with the Latvians, there will be a long list of local and foreign drivers, the best-known names - our Lithuanian neighbors - Edgars Krogeeris and Andrius Vasiliauskas, UK representative Edgars Krogeris, who we also know as an athlete who is always seen in Riga DMEC competitions, Alan Hynes from Ireland's Edgars Krogeris, who always shows a solid performance in the Oman competition, who we have also seen at the start of the DMEC competition in Riga. We must mention Ali Ali Makhseed, who is also the 2022 FIA Motorsport games 2 place winner, second only to our own Kristaps Blus. Clint Van Ort Dutchman who does seasons in DMEC and has been showing very solid performance in drifting for the last few years. We will also see Ukrainian drifters at the start, for whom this will also not be the first time in Oman.

   The list of drivers is interesting, and certainly Latvian athletes will have the opportunity to conduct a very good training and gain experience in 4 stages in Oman - January and February 2023.

   Latvian athletes sent their cars to Oman already at the beginning of November, now the athletes themselves and their team are going there to spend two weeks in Oman and participate in the first two stages. The third and fourth stages will take place in February.

The article is available here.

The Olympic unit names representatives of ten non-Olympic sports included in the LOV

NIKOLASS BERTANS WINS HIS DEBUT COMPETITION AT THE RUSSIAN DRIFT CHAMPIONSHIP

   The 4th round of the Russian Drift Series (RDS) was held at the Ryazan track in Russia over the weekend. It was mentioned earlier that Nikolass Bertans went there as an invited driver for the Aimol team and this was his debut race at the RDS.

   The competition started with practice runs on Thursday, which Nikolass unfortunately missed because the sports car had to be delayed for an unplanned long time at the border, but on the other hand, it was a great opportunity to evaluate his potential competitors and their driving style on the track. The car arrived on Thursday evening, it was prepared and Nikolass was ready for the first practice runs on the track.

   During the first practice runs on Friday, Nikolass quickly got used to the track, although initially he was not the fastest on the track, because by the way, he also had the least powerful car of all the participants in this competition - only 620hp, but he was certainly one of the most technically stable. As the judges later found out when evaluating the data obtained from special measurements, it was Nikolass who was one of the most stable drivers in training, who showed equally stable driving in every race. During training, the car's power steering pipe burst, but it was quickly repaired and the athlete was ready for the battles.

   Saturday started with the qualifying races, in the first qualifying race Bertans showed a very good result - 87 points, but in the second qualifying race, unfortunately, 0 points, because, as the athlete himself mentioned, he overworked himself in the throw, because he tried to ride even better in order to install an even higher judge point rating. In the qualification for Nikolas after the qualification runs of all pilots, the high 10th place.

   In TOP32 Nikolass faced the Russian pilot Ilya Polishuk, who was certainly a strong competitor and had shown a solid performance in the practice runs. Nikolass had a very stable following ride, but when switching places, Ilya overdid it a little while following Bertāns and crashed into the protective barrier of the concrete wall in the first throw. A victory for Nikolass, and it meant battles on Sunday in the Top16.

   Grigory Gusev was the opponent of Nikolass in the Top16. The fight promised to be very equal, because the Russian athlete is a very good rider, and also took a higher place in the qualification - seventh. Nikolass continued to show his solid performance on the track, a fantastic lead run and a perfectly tracked follow-up that resulted in a win and a TOP8 finish.

   TOP8 Nikolass opponent is Masato Kawabata, Kawabata is one of the most experienced drifters in the world, who started his drifting career in 2002, in the homeland of drifting, Japan. Kawabata started his drifting career at the age of 18, when Nikolass was not even born, Nikolass is only 16 years old. In his 43 years, Kawabata has become one of the world's most famous drifters, or as it is often called, a drifting legend. This was a very important race for Nikolass, because not every competition manages to drive, and to fight in tandem with such idols, which the driver himself has watched while growing up and starting to be interested in drifting. Both rides were exciting, but still Bertans continued to show off his perfect rides, his perfectly worked throws, and therefore the victory in this tandem.

   Jack Shanahan from Ireland had to face Nikolass in the TOP4 fight. Unfortunately, Jack's car had technical problems which the team was unable to resolve, so Bertans automatically advances to the Final.

   The final battle, one of Russia's strongest drifters, Arkadys Tsaregatsev, who currently ranks 2nd in the RDS season standings, now after 4 stages. Nikolass and Arkady had already met on the track, but in another discipline - at the Monster Gymkhana competition in Poland, where Bertans managed to win, which surprised the Russian driver at the time, but said that they would definitely meet on the drift track. The meeting took place only two years later, in Russia, in the RDS final. Definitely one of the most exciting fights at this stage. By making a mistake in the following run, Tsargatsev spins, and Bertans, continuing to show the right line, close follow, victory!

   Debut competition in Russia, and victory! A fantastic success that many probably hoped for, but no one expected. Nikolass managed it, with the least powerful car, with his debut on this track and with his first experience in RDS competition.

The article is available here.

The new drift champion Nikolass Bertans: We focus on small goals, the big ones will come by themselves

   Nikolass Bertans is a determined young man who, at the age of 15, has already achieved great success in drifting - a motorsport discipline where the winner is determined by driving technique. The young drifter told Latvian Television's "Sports studio" that he has bigger plans for the future with driving in professional competitions in the USA, but is more focused on achieving small goals and preparing for a serious season.

   Baltic drift champion Nikolass Bertāns is one of the first representatives of technical sports to enter the Latvian Olympic Team (LOV), and he feels very honored that such an opportunity has been given to him. "It will certainly be a great contribution, because, as in all sports, endurance, physical preparation and a high-quality diet are important," the athlete expressed his satisfaction at entering the Olympic team.

   Bertāns has already achieved significant success in his early years as an athlete, but he reckons that his age will soon no longer seem like anything special. "I'm slowly starting to grow out of my status as a child prodigy. I can't fool around anymore, I have to be more serious, but maybe some good people still know me as the good old Nikolass," the drifter explained.

   In drifting, as in all sports, there is also serious competition, which manifests itself more on the track than off it. "In the pits, we are quite positive, if necessary, we help each other, share tips, but when we are on the track, we turn on the second mode, we "fight" against each other," said Nikolass.

   The previous car served Nikolass the whole season without much repair, and he was very satisfied with his car. For the new season, together with his father, Nikolass is preparing the equipment with the aim of building one of the best drift machines in the world.

   "Dad and I have been working hard and doing what we love the most, trying to go into all the little details and build the car perfectly once, so that next time we don't have to spend money fixing it all the time," said Bertans.

Nikolass Bertans is active on social networks, posting video recaps from the competition, thus gaining recognition, however, everything is not as easy as it seems. There is a lot of training and hard work to put in. "We have the opportunity to participate in "Drift Master" or to drive a stage in Russia. I would definitely like to participate in one of the FIA [International Automobile Federation] "Motorsport Games" events," the drifter presented his plans.

   The athlete said that one more season has to be completed, and then he will be able to advance to "Formula Drift" in America, which is his main goal. "I aimed to participate in the PRO class and be the youngest, but we focus more on small goals, because the big ones will come by themselves", admitted Nicholas.

   The young racing driver is happy about last year, his results, because they were successful. Drifting is no longer just a hobby for him, as it was in the beginning. Now you have to think about drifting every day, work with cars and supporters.

   Nikolass does not hide that it would be interesting to try another motorsport discipline. "In rallycross, it looks quite interesting to blow some smoke through the air from the side, but I have noticed that almost every motorsport has a small part of drift," said the drifter.

   The young man admitted that he has never been the most orderly student and tends not to do some homework, Nikolass finds the current distance learning easier because he can still look at a notebook a little.

   Just like a year ago, Bertans will start the season in Oman, and the car is already on its way to the race site. "I hope that I will be able to learn by then [the start], but I will also have to take a book with me," said Nikolass, confirming his willingness to combine sports with studies.

   "After Oman, we will go to Latvia, the Baltics, the Livonia [championship], and maybe we will go to the Drift Master competition or Russia. There is also the FIA continental world championship stage, which will take place in Latvia, so we will see where our eyes aim, there too let's go," admitted Nikolass.

   Being very active on social networks can attract the attention of followers and sponsors. The athlete has several supporters and expects something new and interesting in cooperation. Similar to the last name he got in motorsport.

  “'Nik Nak' is the nickname [US drifter] Chris Forsberg gave me when he came to Riga to participate in the HGK drift challenge. He drove my car, then said he remembered a boy from a movie who was nicknamed Nicknak. That boy reminds him of me, so everything went like that, it stuck and here I am," admits Nikolass.

   Nikolass Bertans wishes the drifters a lot of tires in the new year, so that the cars don't break and, of course, that everything succeeds.

The article is available here.

The video is available here.

Youngest drifter Bertans teaches Timrots how to drift on a super narrow track

   Diena.lv in cooperation with LMT Smart Television offers the newest episode of the speed and adventure show Speed. This time, the hero of the story is the 15-year-old drifting prodigy Nikolass Bertāns, aka Nik Nak, who will challenge Pauls Timrots to drift in tandem on a narrow track set up in the premises of an old factory.

   At the age of only 15, Nikolass Bertāns has already surpassed the best drifters in Latvia and the Baltics, and this season has also proven his talent and won the hearts of motorsport fans in a race in Oman. Therefore, he has no problem drifting on the track, which is set up in an old factory building, with dangerous poles and tire pile bends.

   To see if other drivers can do it, Pauls Timrots has accepted Nikolas's challenge and is testing his skills on what is probably one of the tightest drift tracks. The audience will have the opportunity to learn side-sliding tricks with Pauls and learn the master's tips on what to do when the speed gets crazy scary.

   Why never look back when drifting in tandem, and whether Bertans plans to conquer the US drifting podiums, following in the footsteps of Kristaps Bluš, we will find out in the new episode of the show.

The article is available here.

The video is available here.

At the age of 15, Nikolass Bertāns becomes the youngest Latvian, Livonian and Baltic champion in drifting

   The final drift competition of the 2020 season "Baltic Grand Final" was held last weekend, in which the Latvian, Livonian, Baltic and Lithuanian drift champions were determined.

   Bertans came to this race already as the overall leader, although with only 1 point advantage over the Lithuanian Benediktas Chirba. In the qualification, Bertāns set the third best result, remaining behind Bluš and the Lithuanian Ivanauskas. During the competition, the organizers decided that the Top 24 will be raced in the tandem battles, which meant that Bertans automatically entered the TOP16.

   Raivis Alkshars faced Nikolass in the Top16, both athletes have their debut season in the PRO class this year. Raivis shows a good performance throughout the season, he is slowly getting to know his new car, PRO class speeds and tracks, but in this fight Nikolas was stronger.

   In the Top 8 battle for entry into the TOP 4, Nikolass' opponent was the Lithuanian Zabulionis, as the Lithuanian drove into a concrete wall in his previous tandem battle, until the tandem with Nikolass he failed to fix his car, as a result, Nikolas automatically entered the Top 4.

   In the Top 4 Bertans faced Blush, this fight was certainly expected by the majority of the audience and also by Nikolass himself, besides, before the Top 4 fights Bertans had already secured the title of champion in the overall standings. In the following races, both pilots demonstrated a fantastic and very similar battle on the track, however, Nikolass drove a more precise leading race, thus celebrating the victory in this battle.

   The final fight for the first place with the Lithuanian Andrius Vasiliauskas, who was also one of the main contenders for the title of champion of his country, right at the Riga stage. Bertans continued to demonstrate fast and accurate driving in the final battle, however, he turned around in the following race. On the other hand, Vasiliauskas, driving ahead, driving at too high a speed on the straight towards the stands, overdid it and was forced to reduce speed rapidly, braking at an angle, as a result of which Bertans was forced to avoid a collision, which was also the reason for the spin. The judges evaluated this ride for a long time, as a result Bertans was recognized as the winner in this battle and also in the last stage.

   Nikolass Bertāns, Latvian drift driver: "I'm happy, of course I'm happy about this outcome of the season. I started the 2020 season already in January in Oman, which definitely gave me confidence at the beginning of the season. This summer turned out to be very intense and intense. The biggest competitors were my Lithuanian teammate Benediktas Chirba, who started with a borrowed car in the last two stages, which also prevented him from fighting to the end, and Estonian Oliver Randalu. The debut season and the championship title are a very important achievement for me, but I understand that this is only the beginning of my career, I still have so much to learn, train, and seeing the performance of the other Latvians this year, they will not let me win so easily next year, ahead it will be a very tough fight in the 2021 season, I know that for sure, and I can't wait! I want to say a huge thank you to all my supporters, my family, my team who believe in me and motivate me, and of course to all the drifters for a fantastic season!”

   After this stage, Bertān's closest competitors, Benediktas Čirba, ranked second in the Baltic standings, trailing Bertāns by 54 points, while Estonian Oliver Randalu was in third place.

   If we look at the season as a whole, Bertāns started the season in the semi-pro class for training purposes, according to the LAF rules, athletes have the opportunity to change the test class once a season. At this stage, Bertans convincingly won the first place in the competition and the first place in the qualification.

   Next stage in Estonia, first official PRO class race in career, debut first in qualifying and first in competition.

   A week after the Estonian competition, the next stage in Lithuania already followed, in the difficult track configuration on the Palanga viaduct, Bertāns had an emergency in practice, fourth place in qualifying and top 8 in the competition, which was also the most unsuccessful race of the season.

   On August 2, Bertāns finally got the opportunity for the first time as a PRO class pilot to drive the big drift configuration of the Biķernieki track, the Drift Masters competition was ahead, and he had to start preparing for it.

   A week after the training and before DMEC, Bertāns went to the next stage in Laitse Rally Park in Estonia, one of the most difficult PRO stages for Latvian athletes, in terms of accidents, in this stage Bertāns took 2nd place in the qualification and 3rd place in the competition.

   Drift Masters, one of the biggest adventures of the season, international athletes, the first official PRO competition on the home track and immediately in the European Drift Championship. The debut in the strongest championship of European drifting did not turn out as desired, a very painful loss after the crossing to the four-time Czech champion and King of Europe 2018 champion Marco Zakouril is already in the top 32, 6th place in the qualification.

   Less than a week later, the next round followed, this time the Northern European Drift Championship at the dangerous witch's cauldron, which is one of Bertan's favorite track configurations, as it was there that Nikolass first qualified in his first Semi Pro race and won his first tandem. Rain, changing weather conditions, fierce competition, 7th place in the qualification and again climbing to the top step of the podium.

   It should be noted that Bertans managed to be first in the qualification and first in the competition 3 times in a row during two seasons. This season, out of six races, Bertans has won four and took third place in one, so in 6 races, 5 podiums.

   The next stage was planned for the dangerous Kehala track with the big jump, which would certainly change even more in the overall standings, but since there was no opportunity for Latvian athletes to go to this competition, where the Latvian championship stage would also take place, the competition was cancelled.

   The season was concluded in Biķernieki. In his debut season in the PRO class, Bertāns has become the Latvian, Livonian (combined Latvian and Estonian) and Baltic champion in the 2020 season, as well as Bertāns' newly created, first Baltic drift team "Baltic Drift team", in which he drives together with the Lithuanian Benediktas Chirba, takes a convincing first place in the overall ranking.

The full article is available here.

Nikolas Bertans: 'For the first time, I will have the opportunity to represent my country together with my sister'

   From October 31 to November 3, 2019, the "Motorsport Games" organized by the FIA (International Automobile Federation) will take place in Rome and nearby Vallelunga, which will combine several motorsport disciplines.

   LAF (Latvian Automobile Federation) has entered athletes in four out of six possible motorsport disciplines for these games. For karting slalom discipline - Emilija and Nikolass Bertāni.

Why is motorsport close to you?

    E.B: "It's only natural that I'm not a stranger to motorsport. Ever since I can remember, there was a lot of talk at home about cars and motorsport. My dad and brother were especially fond of motorsports, they very often watched races or cars together. Nikolass only played with cars and I know them very well since early childhood. I became interested in motorsport much later, when Nikolass and I started attending a karting school."

    N.B: "Autosport is close to me because I have been interested in cars since childhood, the fact that my father has participated and also attended car competitions and always took me with him certainly plays a big role."

   What does competing outside of Latvia mean to you?

    E.B: "This is the first time I will represent my country outside its borders, so I'm a little scared, because I haven't sat behind the wheel of a kart for a very long time, and I'm also afraid of not knowing about the level of preparation of my competitors. I want to start this competition with honor."

    N.B: "It is a great honor for me to compete in competitions outside of Latvia, but at the same time also a great responsibility, because my usual motorsport discipline is drifting, but this time I will sit back behind the wheel of a kart."

Will it be something new to compete with your brother/sister? Have you already happened to be on the track together?

    E.B: "I have met my brother on the track several times, but it was several years ago, so I am really happy that I will have the opportunity to ride with him again."

    N.B: "It's nothing new to be with my sister on the track, as we have often fought for first and second place in karting school competitions, but for the first time we will have the opportunity to cross the country directly with my sister."

   How did the FIA Motorsport Games prepare?

    E.B: "We started preparing for the competition relatively late, but several training sessions have been planned before departure, the purpose of which is to refresh driving skills."

    N.B: "The drift competition season has just ended, so it was not possible to seriously prepare for the FIA Motosport Games". But at the moment we are training and together with my sister we have planned to hold several more karting training sessions."

   Have you set a goal for your performance in this competition?

    E.B: "It's difficult to set a goal, because this competition format is completely new to me, but in any case I will try to show myself on the track as well as I can."

    N.B: "As in all other competitions, I will do my best to achieve the best result in this one."

What are your hobbies, activities outside of motorsport?

    E.B: "At the moment, my priority is school and studies, so I don't have much time for hobbies, but I am fascinated by art and everything related to it."

    N.B: "Autosport is my hobby and I devote almost all my free time to it. Apart from motorsport, I really like swimming."

   The karting slalom competition will take place alongside five other event disciplines – GT, Formula 4, Touring Car, drifting and digital motorsports.

   Girls and boys between the ages of 14 and 16 are allowed to participate in this discipline, they do not need an athlete's license or previous experience.

   The competition will take place in a relay format - with mixed (girl/boy) pairs of drivers. Two identical slalom courses will be created. Each driver will take part in all sessions, completing three laps of the track. The first run will be a test run, while the second and third laps will be timed

   The competition will begin on Friday with practice runs, followed by the qualifying session on Saturday and the finals on Sunday.

The full article is available here.

14-YEAR-OLD BERTANS QUALIFIES FOR THE FINALS OF "GYMKHANA GRID" THROUGH A HARD FIGHT

   For 14-year-old drifter Nikolass Bertans, autumn has started with a busy schedule of competitions. Last weekend, at the Biķernieki track, in the 6th stage of the Latvian Drift Cup, he managed to win the third place in the "ProAm" class, but already this week the young athlete went to Poland to compete in the prestigious "Gymkhana GRID". The competition started successfully, as the sixth result was presented in the qualification on Wednesday evening, which will allow them to compete in the grand final on Saturday. Unfortunately, the other Latvian driver Kristiāns Burkovs finished in 17th place.

   The Grand Gymkhana GRID World Final is now in its tenth year and has seen athletes such as event founder Ken Block and rally/rallycross world champion Peter Solberg triumph. "Gymkhana" is a special competition format that combines elements from drift, slalom and highway. The time spent on the specially designed course should be as short as possible, however, the specifics of the configuration require a large part of the course to be done on the sideslip. There are two entries in the competition - AWD and RWD - and Bertāns will compete in the RWD or rear-wheel drive class.

   Although most athletes qualify for the world finals through their national or regional championships, Nikolass Bertans path to Gymkhana GRID was different. "We received Wildcard's invitation and were immediately announced on their social networks. There was nothing left but to ride and participate," admits the young athlete with a laugh. When asked if his team specially prepared for this race, Nikolass admits that "technically we did not change anything, but we polished the car visually and changed the design colors".

   Considering the strong competition and the fact that out of more than 30 pilots, only 16 will qualify for the final, Bertans goal before his debut in such a high-level competition was clear - to qualify for the final. Although he managed to qualify as sixth, it did not come easily. "In practice I showed the 16th result, so we tried to change the tire pressures to improve the speed. In the second of three practice runs, we made a mistake with the choice of tire pressure, which resulted in a painful stop in the concrete wall. After the accident, the team quickly managed to fix the car for the third and final practice run," said Nikolass about the practice runs.

   "After the first qualifying race, we were only in 16th place, which could not have been enough, and as it turned out later, it would not be enough to qualify for the final either. The team decided to drastically change the car's settings and drive with tires of a different composition and size. It was decided to take a risk and go full bank, all or nothing. I stood on the starting line with a completely different tire and pressure and I was driving with tires that I had never driven before. I knew that the team trusted me and now everything depends only on me! I managed to drive well, I improved my previous result by 15 seconds and qualified sixth. We took a risk and this time the risk paid off. I want to say a special thank you to Bartos Ostalovski, who helped us a lot," Bertans remembers the dramatic qualifying moments, adding that this day was like "going through thorns to success".

   The first three in qualifying were just over a second short, so the young athlete is determined to fight for the top places: "After qualifying, I'm in a good mood and ready to fight for the podium in Saturday's final." Among Nikolass main competitors are drivers such as one of the world's best drifters, Daigo Saito, and Monster Energy star Steve "Baggsy" Biagioni, who took victory in qualifying. The finals of "Gymkhana GRID" will start on Saturday with a parade at 15:00, while the TOP 16 races will start at 16:25.

   Asked about the third place won in the 6th stage of the Latvian Drift Cup, Bertāns replies that "this time there was more time to sleep and I didn't have to drive straight from school. I had already ridden the track of the witch's cauldron before, we had rehearsed everything in training and I was ready for the result".

   In the qualification, Nikolass managed to get the fourth place and in the first tandems, with a small dose of luck, managed to fight to the TOP 4. There, against the well-known Rolandas Bērziņš, he had to go off the track due to too much speed, as a result of which he experienced a loss. In the fight for the third place, however, a convincing victory against the Estonian Simon Kost, which allowed him to climb to the third step of the podium. "We wanted, of course, a higher result in order to move up in the overall standings. Right now I'm holding on to third place, but the points are tight. Since there is an opportunity to be the first, then you have to use it," the 14-year-old athlete clearly defines his goal for the end of the season.

The article is available here.

YOUNGEST DRIFTER IN THE WORLD: I CAN'T AFFORD TO DRIVE WORSE THAN OTHERS

Drift season opening

            

   Last weekend, the ambitious opening of the Baltic drift season took place at the Biķernieku track, within the framework of which the new "Nik Nak Wolftrike" drift team also successfully presented itself. 14-year-old Nikolas Bertāns, Klāvs Ashmanis, founder of Wolftrike, and Dāvis Mangalis, winner of last year's Street class, also compete in its composition.

   

   If in 2018, Nicholas spent an incomplete season, standing on the podium twice in four stages, then 2019 will be the first full season of the 14-year-old drifter. The first stage started with a not very successful qualification, because during the second race, one of the car's tires was seriously damaged, forcing it to spin and prematurely end the well-started race. The 58 points obtained in the first attempt allowed them to qualify for the finals in 21st position.

   Estonians Rando Pusa and Rolands Bērziņš were beaten in the tandem races with a good performance in the TOP 32 and TOP 16 rounds, entering among the best eight ProAm pilots. In the TOP 8 round, another Estonian, Marco Prems, who showed the fourth result in the qualification, faced off. "In the first race, I followed him very close, practically in the door, in one moment he braked unexpectedly and I "straightened" the car a little, but nothing crazy. Driving ahead, I tried to get away, although I shouldn't have done it. In the second corner, accordingly, I entered too fast, applied the handbrake, slipped off the track, as a result of which I hit the tires and spun," explains Nicolas Bertans, his loss to the winner of the later race.

   "Overall, it was a cool fight, thanks to the team and supporters. I will not hang my nose and will try to show higher results in the next stages," the young drifter is full of determination. It should be noted that the next stage of the Latvian Drift Cup will take place on May 19, on the Jelgava track "Rullītis", where Nikolas won second place last year.

    An eventful opening of the season was also for Klavs Asmanis, who, competing in the Street class, held his debut competition in drifting. Although before the race Klavs had drifted only in winter, during the training sessions he also got a taste for the dry and much less slippery surface. In the second qualifying race, the drift rookie scored a commendable 67 points (the same as those in 31st and 32nd place), however, the zero in the first race did not allow him to qualify for the TOP 32 final races.

   "Nikolass advice helped a lot, I drove better than I expected. In the next stages, the goal is to qualify for the final races and enter at least the TOP 16 round," said Klāvs Asmanis after the debut stage. Last year's Street class winner Dāvis Mangalis showed the highest team score at the season opener. He planned to drive in the ProAm class this year, but his new car was not yet ready for the first stage, so the plan was to skip the season opener.

   In the last days before the stage, a friend lent him his BMW 328 and it was spontaneously decided to start the season with participation in the Street class. This spontaneous decision paid off, as he managed to win second place with beautiful tandem runs, only losing to Igor Wozniakovski in the final

The video is available here.

The full article is available here.

Latvian drift star Nikolass Bertans celebrated his 13th birthday

21.04.2018.

     On Friday, April 20, in the Drift Hall, the new Latvian drift star Nikolass Bertans celebrated his 13th birthday, as part of which the solemn agreement on cooperation with the new general sponsor "Wolftrike" was signed, as well as the new design of this season's car was presented.

   The "BMW M3" (E36) built by HGK has acquired the current dark gray tone, which after the signing of the cooperation agreement is decorated with "Wolftrike" symbols and logo - a wolf.

   As part of the event, Nikolass gave trike driving lessons to the media and spent most of the evening taking pictures and racing with friends on the track.

   It should be mentioned that Nikolass is currently the youngest drifter in the world, and with the signing of the sponsorship agreement, he introduces new trends and standards in the world of Latvian drifting, which until now has not been popular with sponsorship agreements.

   This season, Nikolass plans to participate in competitions in the Baltics and gain more experience in order to fulfill his dream in the coming years and compete in "Formula Drift" competitions in America. The organizers of the Belarusian competition have also expressed their desire to see Nikolas on their starting line.

   The nearest competition in which Nikolass will participate - opening of the Baltic Drift on May 5 and 6 at the Biķernieki track.

The full article is available here.

NikNak first drift car

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   My frist car yet to this day is the best car. Its a BMW e36 M3 with an LS3 V8 6.2L making around 500hp, it has Samsonas sequential gearbox, Wilwood disc brakes, Wisefab front and rear angle kit, Feal coilovers, carbon kevlar body kit, rollcage and so much more bits and bobs that makes it an awesome and competitive car. I think this is the best drivers car and a really good platform to grow on as a racer. Video.

12 yo. drifter Nikolass Bertans: My dream is to drive on 'Formula Drift'

   

      The youngest drifter in the world is Nikolass Bertans, who is only 12 years old. As the little athlete himself tells, sometimes people wonders, but when they sees the boy on the starting line, their mouth remains closed.

    Nikolass started motorsport at the age of 8 in a kart, but in his first drift training he used a pillow and kart elevation to see over the steering wheel of the car. He tried drifting for the first time at the age of 10 in Baldone on a frozen lake, Nikolass Bertans remembers the beginnings of drifting, he admitted that he does not want money or fame, in drifting he likes the screeching of tires, smoke and freedom that can be enjoyed.

   The first car was  his father's car, but this year Nikolass had a birthday present - a 570-horsepower BMW built by HGK, specially adapted to his height and comfort. With this, the young drifter continued active training this summer and started the year of drifting.

   Nikolass does not hide that at the moment he is more interested in driving than studying at school. However, he is a popular boy in the class - there are many kids who wants to ride in the car. The son also drove his mother, who admitted that it was safer to drive with the boy than with his father.

   The young athlete had gone to the last stage of Formula Drift, where a lot of people were waiting for him. "We had gone to the last stage of Formula D, where they were waiting for me. Von Gittins Jr. said that he wants me to drive in Formula D, but for now I can't drive there, because in the USA you can drive only from the age of 18.''

   His dream is to be on "Formula Drift". Most likely, he will also succeed in America - the Americans are even considering the possibility of changing the rules that would allow driving from the age of 16, and all this just because of Nikolass

Full Sporta Studijas interview is here.