Israeli Driver Faces Antisemitic Snub After Drift Masters Duel in Ireland

A tense and ugly incident unfolded on Sunday during Red Bull’s Drift Masters championship round in Ireland, where Israeli driver Itai Sade reached the quarterfinals and faced Naser Alarabli, a driver of Arab origin competing under the El Salvador flag. Their duel for a place in the semifinals was tightly contested, and after the first two runs ended level, the judges ordered a One More Time replay, sending them out for two more runs in the lead and chase positions.

After the additional heats, Alarabli was declared the winner. At that point, the sport should have taken over, with both drivers expected to exit their cars, await the official result and shake hands. Instead, Alarabli, still wearing his helmet, stayed inside his car and refused to get out for a second time.

Sade responded with visible sportsmanship, walking over to Alarabli’s car to congratulate him and offer a handshake, but Alarabli ignored the gesture and left the scene. The report says commentators initially assumed Alarabli was protesting Sade’s driving style, though the article characterizes the refusal as shameful antisemitism that tainted the entire event.

No response from Itai Sade had been received at the time of publication. The article was published by Sport 5 on June 14, 2026, at 19:17.