Ivo Znaor ahead of DONUT 10: “In drifting, your last victory only matters until the next start”
While some of today’s DONUT drivers – and even some of the people now organising the championship – were still in diapers, Ivo Znaor was already building drift cars in Dalmatia and exploring the limits of a sport that barely existed in the region.
Sixteen years ago, he became the first person in Dalmatia to take up drifting “professionally”. There were no ready-made setups, detailed videos or online tutorials. Knowledge was gained at the track and in the workshop, often through a method Znaor describes best as: “Try it and see where it explodes.”
He has driven drift cars ranging from 150 to 800 hp, achieved outstanding results and invested increasingly large amounts of money into competing. Eventually, his hunger for victory became so great that he had to pull the handbrake on his own career.
He sold his drift car, rearranged his priorities and convinced himself that he would never again sit behind the wheel of a competition car.
He stayed away from drifting for six years.
His comeback began in 2022, when he attended a competition as a spectator and realised how far the regional scene had progressed. His competitive stubbornness returned. He built a budget BMW to prove to himself that he could still compete in this new era of drifting – and defeated some of the region’s best drivers during his first season back.
Today, Znaor is not only one of the most experienced drivers on the DONUT grid. He is also an ambassador of the championship and a link between the organisation, the competitors and the new generation entering the sport.
Ahead of DONUT 10, he leads the overall standings by 20 points over Marko Brdek. After reaching the Top 8 at DONUT 7, winning at Stinice and finishing third at DONUT 9, the final event of the season could bring him a trophy that would, in his own words, hold a special place on both his shelf and in his heart.
Ahead of the final, we spoke with the Drift Doctor about the early days of the scene, his six-year break, his role as a DONUT ambassador, his relationship with Adrian Petričević, the next generation of drivers, a new engine and the fight for the title.
From the first drift cars to an entirely new level
You have been drifting for 16 years and have experienced almost every stage of the regional scene’s development. Can the drifting you did at the beginning even be compared with the sport today?
“Honestly, it is difficult to compare the two. At the time, I was the first person in Dalmatia to take up drifting ‘professionally’. We were the ones discovering all the tricks at the track and in the pits. Today, you can find everything online. You enter the make and model of your car and get an ‘ideal’ drift setup.
Everything has been explored now. We have serious cars, serious drivers, serious budgets, excellent organisers, professional production and a large audience. The entire sport has reached a completely different level.
However, one thing has not changed. Once the car is running and the helmet goes on, there are no sponsors, organisers or friends anymore. You are alone behind the wheel with one objective – to destroy your opponent.”
Six years believing he would never return
Although Znaor achieved strong results with several different cars during the first part of his career, his hunger for victory also demanded increasingly significant financial investment.
Eventually, he realised that he had gone too far. He sold his car and made what he believed was a permanent decision.
Why did you decide to leave drifting, and what eventually brought you back after six years?
“I owned several drift cars and achieved excellent results with every one of them. Results are what keep pushing you forward. You become so hungry for victory that you have no problem spending every bit of money you have on racing.
At some point, I realised that I had gone too far. I decided to sell the drift car and rearrange my priorities in life. The decision was so firm that I convinced myself I would never again sit behind the wheel of a drift car.
I managed to stay away for six years. During that period, many people offered me different cars to compete in, but I rejected every offer.
In 2022, I attended a competition as a spectator. When I saw that drifting had matured into a serious sport, something stubborn woke up inside me. I decided to test myself in this new era of drifting simply to prove that I could still do it.
I built a budget BMW and managed to defeat the best drivers during my first year back. I would say drifting is a type of illness or addiction. Once you try it, there is no going back.”
A previous victory only lasts until the next start
Znaor’s generation could not rely on ready-made setups or detailed instructional videos. Every modification had to be tested, and the price of a mistake was often paid with a mechanical failure.
Young drivers now develop much faster because information is readily available, but that also means the competition gives nobody an opportunity to relax.
What did that more difficult path teach you, and can a driver with your experience rely on past achievements?
“We learned many things using the ‘try it and see where it explodes’ method. There were no ready-made setups, videos, tutorials or anything else that exists today.
Young drivers now arrive and already possess, in their first season, knowledge that took us five years to acquire.
That is why you cannot afford to sleep. If you think you are good because you were good last year, you are already in trouble. In drifting, your previous victory only matters until the very next start.”
A driver and a DONUT ambassador
Znaor now sees DONUT from two different perspectives.
As a driver, he wants the best possible conditions for competition. As an ambassador, he must understand the organisation’s wider responsibilities and help create a system that works for the entire grid.
Have your roles as a driver and DONUT ambassador ever placed you on the opposite side of the organisation?
“Yes, and it will probably happen again.
I am primarily here as a driver, and I see certain things from that perspective. Logically, the organiser cannot meet every demand we make, but we are here to communicate and improve the entire system.
I often speak with the other drivers and try to pass on my experience, discipline and order, both on the track and in the pits.
I believe that this relationship between me as an ambassador and the organisation has helped DONUT reach the level it is at today.”
A trophy that would validate the comeback
Znaor enters the last competition of the season with a 20-point lead and an opportunity to complete his comeback by winning the title.
For him, the trophy would not be proof offered to the audience or his rivals. It would answer the question he asked himself when he returned after six years away.
What would it mean to lift the trophy at DONUT 10?
“Lifting a trophy is always an indescribable feeling, but this one would have a special place on my shelf and in my heart.
It would prove to me that returning was worth it. Not because I need to prove anything to anyone else, but because I asked myself whether I could still be the same person who competed and won 16 years ago – and whether I could do it again today.”
“If you want to be champion, you must beat everyone”
Marko Brdek enters the final as Znaor’s closest rival, 20 points behind. Brdek’s calculations for the championship include reaching the final against anyone other than Znaor.
Ivo, however, does not want to start calculating before the elimination bracket is revealed.
Brdek has openly discussed a scenario in which he would prefer to avoid you in the final. Would you prefer to avoid him?
“If Marko is publicly admitting that he would like to avoid me, I am not going to ruin his plans now.
We can all count points and calculate different scenarios in our heads, but when the bracket arrives, all of that goes out the window.
If you want to be champion, you must be capable of beating everyone who stands in your way. If that person needs to be Marko, then let it be Marko. I am ready.”
Ivo and Adrian: friends, teammates and opponents
The relationship between Ivo Znaor and Adrian Petričević extends far beyond their occasional meetings on the track.
They have spent years building their team story, following each other’s progress and sharing information. When Znaor is not competing, he works as Adrian’s spotter. When they line up against each other, that relationship temporarily disappears.
How does your relationship work when you are part of the same team but can still meet in the eliminations?
“We have been building our team story together for years, following each other’s progress and pushing one another forward.
At the competitions where I am not driving, I work as Adrian’s spotter and celebrate every one of his achievements. When we line up together at the start, the friendship disappears for those few minutes.
Afterwards, we are the same as before. I am certain that our battles will never affect our relationship.”
Their last major battle at Grobnik ended with Adrian taking the victory. Rather than feeling disappointed, Znaor saw the result as confirmation of the progress made by his friend and teammate.
Two completely different driving philosophies
Although they have worked as a team for years, their driving styles are almost entirely different.
Petričević enters a tandem battle without hesitation, while Znaor adjusts his aggression according to the opponent and the way the battle develops.
Where do your driving styles differ the most, and what can you learn from one another?
“Adrian is definitely one of those drivers who will go all or nothing. He has a certain madness inside him that cannot be taught – you are born with it.
When he enters a battle, he immediately bites and attacks. He has a tendency to tear apart every driver on the track, although that approach has backfired on him a few times.
My approach is slightly different. When I sit behind the wheel, I think about every opponent and the style they use. I attack when necessary. If it is not necessary, I complete a safe run and win without taking too much risk.
That is exactly why I believe we make a good team. We can learn a great deal from each other.”
How much has Adrian changed regional drifting?
Znaor does not measure Petričević’s influence on the scene only through their shared results as teammates.
He believes Adrian’s car, commitment and international appearances have forced the entire regional grid to approach its own development more seriously.
Has Adrian’s approach forced you to raise your own level?
“Absolutely. He has pushed me, but he has also pushed every other driver.
I believe he deserves a great deal of credit for the current state of drifting in the region, and I am extremely grateful to him for that.
There is certainly a lot that can be learned from Adrian because he is completely committed to drifting. He has a serious competition car and is mentally and physically prepared to fight with the best, which he has also demonstrated at European competitions.”
The greatest compliment a young driver can give
For Toma Ostojić, Ivo Znaor is not merely another rival in the title fight. The young driver from Solin openly describes him as his idol and the person whose opinion he values most when it comes to driving.
It was Znaor who defeated Ostojić in the final at Stinice, stopping him one step away from his first DONUT victory.
How does it feel to hear one of the region’s most promising young drivers describe you as his idol?
“Being someone’s idol is a special feeling. It may be one of the most beautiful parts of this entire story.
I particularly enjoy watching his development, every victory and every trophy.
Perhaps the greatest compliment a young driver can give you is not saying that you are his idol, but beating you one day.
If that happens, I will celebrate his achievement in the same way I celebrated when Adrian defeated me at Grobnik.”
From 150 to 800 hp and a new engine for DONUT 10
Throughout his career, Znaor has driven a wide range of drift cars. He believes the experience he gained in less powerful machinery remains one of his greatest advantages.
Although he no longer spends as much time working on the car himself, he still makes every important technical decision.
How involved are you in the development of the car, and what have you prepared for the final?
“I have driven various drift cars, ranging from 150 to 800 hp.
That may be the key to my success. I started with an underpowered car and learned how to use 110 per cent of its potential. Once you move into a more powerful car, everything becomes much easier.
I am still involved in every technical detail. I decide which parts we install and which setup we use, but unlike before, I no longer work on the car myself.
I have friends beside me who help with the mechanical work, while I try to focus more on my driving technique.
We have prepared a new engine with improved performance for DONUT 10, and we hope it can survive the punishment I am going to give it.”
Brdek, Adrian or Toma for the final tandem?
The final tandem of DONUT 10 could directly decide the championship.
Every potential opponent would bring a different story. Brdek is Znaor’s closest rival, Adrian is the reigning champion and his teammate, while Toma is the young driver for whom defeating his idol would mean much more than an ordinary result.
If the final tandem decides the championship, who would you like to face?
“If that tandem is going to decide the championship, I want the best possible opponent. I want a battle I will remember.
Brdek would be interesting because he is my direct rival for the title. Adrian would be special because he is last year’s champion and is currently in excellent driving form. Toma would bring an additional story because I know how much that victory would mean to him.
But once I sit in the car, honestly, I do not care who is in the car beside me.”
Drift Masters and the next generation
Despite 16 years of experience, Znaor still has competitive ambitions he has not fulfilled.
The biggest is an opportunity to compete in Drift Masters, but the Ivo Znaor of today is no longer focused exclusively on his own results. He finds equal satisfaction in helping younger drivers shorten the journey his generation spent years navigating through trial and error.
What motivates you more today – the opportunity to compete in Drift Masters or the development of the next generation of drivers?
“Of course I would love to compete in Drift Masters. Everyone who drives dreams about it because it is the biggest stage in world drifting. I am genuinely curious whether I could compete with those ‘monsters’ of drivers and cars.
On the other hand, I am extremely happy that I can help younger drivers. If I can shorten a journey for someone that took me years to complete, that gives me great satisfaction.
When I see Toma and Leo biting, fighting and progressing, it creates a special sense of fulfilment.
I believe that may be the biggest difference between who I am today and who I was 16 years ago. Back then, I mainly thought about how to be the best and win as much as possible. Today, I enjoy helping younger drivers and contributing to the development of the entire scene.
If an opportunity to compete in Drift Masters appears, believe me, I will not let it pass. I will attack – all in or nothing.
With love from the Drift Doctor, Znaor.”
The final start of the season
Ivo Znaor arrives at DONUT 10 as the championship leader, but also as someone who understands that experience and past results provide no protection once the lights go out.
Behind him are 16 years of drifting, several generations of cars, a six-year break and a comeback through which he has already proved to himself that he can still defeat the best.
Ahead of him is one more start.
Whether the trophy that would hold a special place on his shelf and in his heart will end up in the hands of the Drift Doctor will be decided on 19–20 September at the Bugatti Rimac test track in Mičevec.
