Magic The Gathering is off to the races with the new expansion, Aetherdrift, using the setting of an interplanar Grand Prix to bring together well-known characters and refresh lore on some less-seen planes and their inhabitants. Magic The Gathering Aetherdrift releases physically on February 14th.
Before it releases we got to sit down with members of the team behind Aetherdrift including Max McCall – Executive Producer, Miguel Lopez – Worldbuilding Lead, Sarah Wassel – Senior Art Director, and Lisa Hanson – Print Innovation Director. Through this call, we were treated to information about some of the different teams that would be competing in the Grand Prix, some unique mechanics to the set, and what kinds of new card treatments we'd be seeing.
Welcome To The Ghirapur Grand Prix!
There are 10 different racing teams from across the different planes that are being gathered to compete in the Ghirapur Grand Prix. Miguel Lopez took some time to explain to us just what that is.
"Aetherdrift focuses on an edition of a multi-day multi-planar combat stage race called the Ghirapur Grand Prix. This is a race put on by the plane of Avishkar. It's intended to be, on the one, a thrilling spectacle that is inspiring to watch and a statement to the multiverse of the new Avishkari government's ability to manage and coordinate multi-planar logistics."
The first Grand Prix has already happened off-screen, it's more chaotic and a test for the technology, and the second Grand Prix is the one that is the setting of Aetherdrift.

For the Avishkar this isn't just a chance to show off their power but also to connect with their neighboring planes to spread their "currency, food, language, and establish embassies."
Other planes involved in the Grand Prix include Amonket and Muraganda. While it will be a return to Amonket, slowly rebuilding itself after the Phyrexian Invasion, it will be the first deep dive into Muraganda "a place where magic and life is raw and young."
But what is the prize for such an impressive tournament? The Aetherspark, a Planeswalker spark suspended in a super-cooled aether solution.
The Mechanics Of Racing
The key mechanic that Aetherdrift is introducing is Speed. At the start of the game you'll start with no speed, by playing a card that has the Start your engines! Trait your speed will become 1.
You can then gain one speed per turn by causing your opponent to lose life. If you Start your engines! and then Lightning Bolt will get you to Speed 2, but another Lightning Bolt won't get you to Speed 3 on the same turn. Once you've reached Speed 4 you'll be at max speed and can't increase it any further.

Each of the cards that have the Start your engines! Trait also have a Trait that relates to an additional effect once max speed has been reached. An example given was Vnwxt, Verbose Host will let you draw two cards when you would normally only be able to draw one.
Another mechanic being introduced is Exhaust. This is a one-shot mechanic that does something powerful, that the player needs to know when to use to get the most effectiveness out of it. Exhaust can only be used once by a card, so if you see a card like Loot, The Pathfinder who has three powerful Exhaust abilities you'll only get to use one.

Interestingly, if a card has been returned to your hand and played again the Exhaust gets refreshed. This allows for some tricky wants to be able to refresh that and use these powerful abilities again.
"In general, you can only activate Exhaust abilities once per game… unless you're doing shenanigans" - Max McCall
The last key mechanic is Saddle, returning from Thunder Junction. This allows Mount cards to be saddled by other creatures you control. Some of the Mounts that appear in this set aren't just mechanical vehicles but also beasts such as beast mounts. When cards are Saddled normally something extra-good happens.
The Ten Teams Of The Ghirapur Grand Prix
There are ten teams from across the planes that are competing in the Ghirapur Grand Prix. Each team doesn't just represent a plane or group but consists of two colors, this will help players find the right team for their playstyle. These teams are:
- Guidelight Voyagers (White / Blue) - A returning team that was accidentally formed during the first Grand Prix who have been invited back.
- Speed Demons (Blue / Black) - This is a crew led by Winter and The Speed Demon, they have a chance for freedom by Valgavoth if they manage to obtain the Aether Spark.
- The Endriders (Black / Red) - Survivors from Gastal, a harsh environment of natural disaster and road warriors (think Mad Max). Now at Ghurapur they're wanting to obtain the Aetherspark to bring it unlimited water.
- Goblin Rocketeers (Red / Green) - This team is rocket scientists who have applied their knowledge to cars and other vehicles. Their goal is to break the velocity limit to escape from their plane and worship the BOOSTGOD. (We were specifically told that that's in all capital letters)
- Alacrian Quickbeasts (Green / White) - These racers ride beasts instead of vehicles and are interested in the Grand Prix based purely out of their enjoyment of competition.
- The Champions of Amonkhet (White / Black) - A team of living and undead representatives from Amonkhet led by Basri and Zahur.
- The Speedbrood (Black / Green) - A group of insectoid racers who are trying to grow their life into becoming velocity and speed itself.
- Aether Rangers (Green / Blue) - The team native to Avashkar equipped with fast vehicles that slightly hover giving them an edge over any terrain.
- Chordatan Keelhaulers (Blue / Red) - Fishfolk who are new to the Grand Prix but who have settled in Avashkar.
- Cloudspire Racing Team (Red / White) - Racers from Kylum that specialize in high speed and low drag racing allowing them to be very quick. This team also won the previous year's Grand Prix.

Art Worth A Thousand Laps
Full Art Lands will show the different courses that the teams will be racing on from a first-person perspective of some of the drivers. You'll get to see sand-covered raceways, winding jungle tracks, and even scenes of vehicles racing down riverways.

Another new look for cards is the Borderless Revved Up treatment that each of the teams have. Each of these cards are meant to highlight a driver and their vehicle, working as a sort of glamour-shot showing off what is meant to be an inspirational scene.
Wassell likened these treatments to something you might see a full page ad for in a magazine, or the kind of poster that a fan of the team or driver would want.

Aetherdrift Commander Decks
There are two Commander Decks that will be released with Aetherdrift. One led by Temmet, Eternal Might, which will be a White/Blue/Black deck. This Commander Deck will not only have Temmet but also Hashaton, Scarab's Fist and will focus on creating zombies and building up to one big turn where you flood your enemy with damage.
The second Commander Deck is Living Energy, a Green/Blue/Red deck, that features Saheeli, Radiant Creator and Pia Nalaar, Chief Mechanic as Commanders.
Both of these Commander Decks will retail for $44.99 MSRP

First-place Foil Cards
Box-Toppers for this set will come with a new First-place Foil treatment. This version is meant to look like a gold prize medal and while the background and outer elements are shiny and gold the core element of the card's artwork and focus of the card will remain in color to really pop.
Magic The Gathering Aetherdrift Release Timing
For those wanting to keep an eye out for everything Magic The Gathering Aetherdrift, you can keep an eye out for the following dates.
- Aetherdrift Story reveal (This is already out)
- Debut and Previews Begin - January 21st
- Pre-Release Events - February 7-13
- MTG Arena Release - February 11th
- Tabletop Release - February 14th