Driver Spotlight - Colin O’Sullivan

Cool, calm and collected. These are the vibes that Colin O Sullivan gave me as he sat into his Nissan Silvia S14 for a chat. For someone so young to have such an easy going attitude, I found it hard to believe he’s still a teen. Only 16 years of age, Colin is one to watch in the drifting scene, competing last year in the Irish Drift Championship junior category. Being an up and coming competitor, drifting might be relatively new to him, but driving is in his DNA. Being the son of former rally driver and co- rally driver Tommy and Mags O'Sullivan, driving has been a very big part of the O'Sullivan family’s lives.

Name: Colin O’Sullivan

Discipline: Drifting PRO2 JR

Tell me about your car

I only have the car just over a year. My nissan Siliva S14, it's about 400 BHP, its pretty basic but it works. Like if you go out with a brand new car, you won’t drive it as hard as you’d drive something with a few scratches. The trust I have in this car, I don’t think I’d have it any other car. I can come into any corner, any track flat out and I’m 98% sure she’ll come out of it. We’re going to go a lot faster and do the whole championship this year. 

Has drifting always been a part of your life?

Give it two years ago I had no idea about drifting, I had never been to a drift event, I was always in with cars you see, Mom and Dad did the rallying, I was always in it. Everyone always asks would you not go into the rallying like your parents. No. Nothing beats the buzz of going down a straight and launching the car sideways, you’re just playing with the control then.

Being so young and now competing, who are your biggest supporters?

My family, where I am today, wouldn't be possible without Mom and Dad. They’re the best help you could get. Of course Granny’s behind me too, she even got me two new tyres for my birthday. It’s a family affair, everyone contributes.

Colin O Sullivan competing in IDC 2024  with his new car for the season - credit @Shift_AM

Why do you do what you do?

Honest to god it's all for the craic, I’m in it just to have fun, I get a lot more enjoyment going out with the lads, we’ll be on each other’s door and the craic is something else.

What does it mean to be part of a community like this?

Drifting is growing, it's growing by the second. You could go to a drift event, bring only your bare car and if you're short of anything, you could go to anyone there and they’ll give it to you without even worrying. There’s no competitiveness and everyone is friendly with each other, its great!

What has one of your top moments been so far?

Say two years ago, I was in my absolute element. We went up to Mondello, one of Dad’s friends was after buying a car. There was this man, David Curtis is his name, he still competes and he had a yellow S14 same as this. This shows a bit of character, the first fast drift car I was ever inside in, I went in through the window because the door was driven in. I went Dukes of Hazard, straight in and we went out and he showed me it all. He rubbed the wall, pulled off bumpers and everything just to show me what the idea of it was and it was just great craic. That was that day, that was the best experience I would say so far. Like the movie Days of Thunder - rubbing is racing.

@colinosullivan123