WION Exclusive: Sanam Sekhon — The man who drifted his way into India’s motorsport history and became the face of a rising drift revolution

On most days, Sanam Sekhon speaks with the calm of someone who has nothing left to prove. But the moment he begins talking about drifting — the slide, the smoke, the symphony of machine and instinct — there’s a spark you can’t miss. It’s the spark of a man who didn’t plan to be a motorsport icon, but somehow drifted straight into the history books. Today, Sanam is widely called as India’s “Drift King”, a title he earned not through hype or theatrics, but through years of disciplined work, global exposure, and an unwavering belief that Indian motorsport deserves a larger, louder stage. But the story of how it all began is almost disarmingly simple.

How it all started for Sanam

“Honestly, it started by luck,” he said in an exclusive conversation with WION, with a laugh, recalling the early days — no tracks, no sponsorships, no grand plans. Just a bunch of friends messing around in an empty grass field. Everyone kept spinning out. Everyone except him. That tiny moment of difference — that quiet realisation that he could hold a slide better than the rest — was enough to change the trajectory of his life. “One week later, we went again. And again I wasn’t spinning out. So I thought… maybe there’s something here.” And there was. What began as playful experimentation became a lifelong craft, one that demanded dedication, discipline, and a whole new level of engineering obsession.

Unlike many racers, Sanam doesn’t romanticise the technical grind. “My first build is still under progress,” he admits. That’s the thing about drifting — the setup is never truly ‘done’. It evolves as you evolve. As the sport demands. As the competition intensifies. “There’s no end to modifications,” he says. “You have to know what you want out of your machine — and then build towards it.” For him, the bond with the car is everything. Too much aggression and the machine will snap. Too little confidence and you lose the run. Drift, after all, is a conversation between man and machine — and Sanam has spent years learning its language.

Watch Sanam's drift here

India’s growing drift scene

Although drifting is now gaining visibility, Sanam has seen the struggle up close. “It’s still a new discipline for the country,” he says. “We’re far behind the global scene. But we can catch up if the system becomes structured — like how international motorsport laws run.” The point he makes repeatedly is simple but powerful: India doesn’t lack talent. India lacks equipment, infrastructure, and a unified approach.

“You can’t clap with one hand,” he says. “If you don’t give drivers the right machines, they can’t perform. Skill and equipment must go hand in hand.” For someone who has drifted abroad — Thailand, Singapore, Canada, the U.S. — Sanam knows just how wide the gap is. Yet, he remains optimistic.

Ask him what goes through his mind before initiating a drift run, and his answer is refreshingly human: “Don’t crash. Don’t be stupid. Take it easy.” Behind the humour is a laser-focused mindset — one shaped by years of competitive pressure, physical conditioning, and mental resilience. “When you’re in the run, there are no second chances. There’s no deviating from the line. You’re in it to win it.”

If you ask racing drivers about their perfect lap, they’ll usually give you a slow, poetic description. Sanam, on the other hand, surprises you.

“The perfect ones go by so fast you don’t even realise they’re over. It’s the troubled ones you remember. The messy ones stay in your head.” For him, the perfect drift run is a blur of speed, precision, and rhythm. Music. Motion. Muscle memory.

Away from the track, Sanam is far from the adrenaline-fuelled daredevil people imagine. His life is rooted in simplicity — a close-knit family, a younger brother in the US, and parents living at their farm. His father, a former Army rally driver, quietly passed down the love for speed. His mother, as he describes her, is “a chiller” who travels frequently to visit his brother. The family dynamic is grounded, stable — the perfect counterbalance to a high-octane profession.

What’s next for India’s drift king?

Sanam isn’t done rewriting records. In fact, he’s aiming for more. “We’re planning two more world records,” he reveals. The details are under wraps, but the ambition is unmistakable. For him, drifting isn’t just personal passion — it’s a national mission. He wants India to build a real drifting ecosystem. With proper engines, proper chassis, proper tracks. He wants manufacturers to step in, not as sponsors for branding, but as investors in India’s motorsport future. “Even small steps can change everything,” he says. “If they keep a little budget aside for motorsports, it’ll do wonders," he signed off.

Key achievements of Sanam Sekhon:

• JK Tyre Drift Challenge:In October 2023, Sekhon was crowned the first-ever champion at the inaugural JK Tyre Drift Challenge, India's first official drifting competition. He won the D1 and D2 categories in his custom Lexus GS 300.
• Guinness World Record:He set a Guinness World Record for the highest altitude drift by a car, which he achieved on July 31, 2025, at Umling La Pass in Ladakh, powered by JK Tyre's LevitasXTREME
• D1 Lights Thailand:In October 2024, he secured a third-place finish at the D1 Lights Thailand competition, demonstrating his world-class drifting skills.
• First officially recognised drift event in India under FMSCI. This gives legitimacy to drifting as a motorsport discipline in the country.
• Inaugural JK Tyre Drift Challenge, held at Buddh International Circuit, Greater Noida. This was the first drifting competition in India with backing from the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI).
• Demonstrates high skill: car control, precision drifting, handling oversteer, etc. Judges evaluated on multiple dimensions: line, angle, style and speed.