How Russian gymkhana is changing: the PRO series, a new team standings format and the 3rd stage at the Ak Bars Arena

Russian gymkhana is rapidly changing its own scale. Just a few years ago, competitions were held mainly in small car parks and industrial sites, but today the stages of the PRO series are hosted by the country's largest sporting arenas. Over the past two seasons, Yuka Drive Gymkhana has noticeably expanded its reach, increased the number of participants, launched a full team championship and continues to explore new iconic venues.

The next step will come on 19 July, when the third round of the Yuka Drive Gymkhana PRO series takes place for the first time at the Ak Bars Arena stadium in Kazan. For the series itself, this is far more than a change of venue. Kazan has long held a special place in the calendar: it is here that one of the most active gymkhana communities has formed, although in 2025 the round was held at the Vysokaya Gora circuit. Now the series moves onto the grounds of one of the country's largest sporting facilities, continuing its course towards the development and popularisation of the discipline.

The move to a new venue will also change the character of the course. While previous rounds offered their own particular configurations, in Kazan the organisers have opted for a faster course, while retaining the technical complexity that remains the hallmark of gymkhana.

This is precisely what sets modern gymkhana apart from most motor sport disciplines. In circuit racing, a driver gradually pushes the car to its limits, and in drifting the key criterion is the quality of cornering in a controlled slide, but here virtually every metre of the course demands a fresh solution. Spins, 'boxes', slaloms, transitions and high-speed elements combine into a single continuous sequence, where any mistake instantly translates into penalty seconds or lost time.

Equally significant changes are taking place in the technical regulations. After the second round, the organisers abandoned the experiment with a single tyre specification, giving competitors back the freedom to choose their own rubber.

But the biggest change of the season has been the introduction of a full team championship. Whereas previously attention was focused mainly on the battle between individual drivers, the series now increasingly resembles the world's major championships, where the result is built on the work of the entire squad. Every point earned affects the team's position in the standings, and the consistency of several drivers becomes just as important as the victory of a single leader.

This is why the 2026 season has become a new point of development for Russian gymkhana – the PRO series is now growing not only as a competition between drivers, but also as a championship of teams and strategies, where success is increasingly determined by the work of the whole collective.

The main discovery of the season has been Fortis YUKA Pervykh. The team has brought together drivers with completely different levels of experience. Arkady Tsaregradtsev continues his fight for the championship title and, after his victory in Saint Petersburg, is now level on points with the season leader. Andrei Samotey is a professional racing driver with many years of experience in rallying and technical disciplines. And the team's third driver is actor and television presenter Denis Dorokhov. Despite his media fame, he treats his appearances in the PRO series as a full sporting season and continues to improve from round to round.

The main rival to the leaders remains the Telekanal Drive team, represented by Alexey Shendyukov, Alexey Kuznetsov and reigning champion from last season Kamil Khamidullin. The squad is banking on consistency: regular finishes among the leaders keep them high in both the individual and team standings. After two rounds, it is Shendyukov who arrives at the Kazan round level on points with Arkady Tsaregradtsev, keeping the season's main storyline alive.

One of the most improved teams of the season remains Vissol Crew. The team's leader – Belarusian driver Sergey Tikhonenko – has noticeably gained pace after a major upgrade to his BMW E46 and is now firmly among the contenders for the very top positions. The team sits third in the team standings and retains a strong chance of fighting for podium places at the end of the season.

Young Wave Team represents a completely different philosophy. The squad is investing in young drivers and proving that a strong result depends not only on the size of the project's budget, but above all on consistent work, determination and the desire to become faster with every round.

TACHAGA, Elastomeric Team, Adhesol, Drift Racing Park, MBM, Petrolero and other teams regularly shake up the order of places, meaning that virtually every round can significantly alter the teams' positions in the standings.

What will spectators see on 19 July?

The main part of the programme will be the head-to-head battles between the strongest drivers from Russia and Belarus on a new mirrored course configuration. Guests will be able to attend the drivers' parade, chat with the competitors, collect autographs and have photos taken together. In addition to the sporting programme, the Ak Bars Arena grounds will host a festival zone featuring a car display, interactive areas, a reaction-time trainer, photo spots, a food court and relaxation areas for the whole family.

One of the most popular activities will once again be the G-Taxi – a unique opportunity to sit in the passenger seat of a sports car and, alongside a professional driver, take a lap of the course, experiencing the speed, the G-forces and the nuances of modern gymkhana. Entry to the event is free. Those wishing to attend must register in advance on the official Yuka Drive Gymkhana website.

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