Hämeenlinna hosts major drifting event as city invests in motorsport

The Drift Masters European drifting series arrives at Hämeenlinna’s Ahvenisto circuit this weekend, drawing 10,000 fans and filling local hotels to capacity, Yle reports.

All grandstand tickets for the event are sold out. The track’s steep gradients and stadium-like layout make it ideal for drifting, with speeds reaching 150 km/h and cars sliding sideways through corners, tires smoking.

Hämeenlinna is positioning itself as a hub for motorsport, with the city allocating €200,000 this year and next for infrastructure upgrades at Ahvenisto. Improvements include electrical systems, a new public address system, and planned noise barriers to address sound issues from the track’s embankments.

The city has also supported the construction of a movable grandstand with €200,000 in state funding. Officials note that these investments will benefit future events as well.

With local accommodations fully booked, visitors have been directed to hotels in Tampere and Helsinki. A dedicated shuttle service, running multiple times per hour, has been arranged to transport spectators to the track, which lacks on-site parking.