Judge
Harald Müller
Germany
ABOUT
Career Summary
German drift driver and driving instructor Harald Müller is best known for his endurance drifting records. According to his LinkedIn profile, he has been an instructor at the Nürburgring Driving Safety Centre since 1995. He owns and runs Harry Müller Drifting, which offers drift taxi rides, coaching and show runs under the Drifttaxi brand. His own website introduces him as a "Driftweltmeister" (drift world champion).
World Records
Hockenheimring, 2007: While working as an instructor at the ADAC Driving Safety Centre, he drifted a Nissan 350Z non-stop for 2 hours 21 minutes. The press at the time reported it as the first official endurance drifting record. On the same day, he and Frank Urban set a 12-minute tandem drift record on an 80-metre circle.
Samsun, 2014: Müller's best-known achievement came in Türkiye. On 15 July 2014 at Batı Park in Samsun, he drifted a standard Toyota GT86 for 612 laps of a 235.5-metre circle, covering 144.126 km in 2 hours 25 minutes 18 seconds to set a Guinness World Record. The previous record stood at 84.13 km. His first attempt ended on lap 241 with a fuel-related loss of power; he took the record on his second attempt the same evening. The attempt was organised by the Eurasia Motor Sports Club (AVOK) and certified by Guinness Türkiye adjudicator Şeyda Subaşı Gemici. The record was raised to 165.04 km in 2017, again in a GT86.
Role at APEXMASTERS
Müller's connection with APEXMASTERS goes back to the brand's very first event. He served as a judge at the Landirenzo Drift Challenge, held on 30 October 2011 at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. The one-day event, with 21 drivers on the entry list, was won by Mert Bilaloğlu. Müller was one of the people who brought European experience to the judging table in the early years of drifting in Türkiye.
Drifttaxi
Operating under the slogan "The Real Driving Experience", Drifttaxi is based at the Driftpark within the ADAC Driving Safety Centre at the Nürburgring. Guests are strapped into a racing seat with wide harnesses and experience drifting from the passenger side. Rides on offer:
- Drifttaxi Nürburgring
- Porsche Drifttaxi (Nürburgring)
- Rallyetaxi: a gravel ride with jumps in a Martini-liveried Lancia Delta Integrale, at the Nürburgring and in Augsburg
According to the website, rides start from 99 euros and are also available as gift vouchers.
Drift Coaching and Open Drift Days
Besides taking passengers, Müller also trains drivers. Six programmes are offered on tarmac, dirt and ice: Drift Individual Half-Day and One-Day (one-to-one), DIRTDRIFT Shakedown, Flat-Out and Maximum-Attack (dirt), and ICEDrift "Maximum-Attack" (ice).
He also runs PURE DRIFT open drift days at the Nürburgring on a watered course with uphill and downhill sections, reminiscent of Japanese touge driving. Participants drive in rookie, amateur and pro groups; road-registered and unregistered cars are welcome (98 dBA noise limit, helmets mandatory). According to the website, a half day costs 119, a full day 199 and a weekend 349 euros; spectators get in free.
Contact
For bookings, gift vouchers and current dates, visit drifttaxi.com. Email: hm@drifttaxi.com
RACE INVOLVEMENT
Türkiye Drift Şampiyonası TDŞ
- 30 Oct 2011 Landirenzo Drift Challenge Judge