Tuukka Taponen

At the age of 11, he won the Finnish karting championship and in 2019 he claimed the OK Junior title.

In 2020, Tuukka joined the Tony Kart team, immediately putting himself in the spotlight in the OKJ category, finishing third in the FIA European Karting Championship and runner-up in the world championship at Portimao (Portugal). In 2021, on his outright debut in the OK class, he won the world championship at Campillos (Spain) run in variable weather conditions, demonstrating his skills in both the dry and the wet.

That same year, he took part in the SFDA Scouting World Finals and although he did not win, he was put under special observation by Ferrari. 2022 saw him moving up to the KZ gearbox class, competing against the best professionals in world karting, and a second appearance in the SFDA Scouting World Finals secured his place at the Academy.

He made his single-seater debut in the Formula 4 UAE championship, achieving a ninth place and two second places. In 2023, he stepped up to the competitive Italian championship with Prema Powerteam. Tuukka enjoyed a solid year, culminating in a win at Misano Adriatico, finishing fifth in the championship and second best rookie.

Tuukka had a solid 2024, starting off by winning the Formula Regional Middle East championship with the R-Ace GP team, taking several wins and top-three finishes. He then moved on to European Formula Regional, a front runner with wins at Spa-Francorchamps and Mugello, proving he has what it takes when under pressure. Up against strong opposition, he was title contender until two rounds from the end, in a series where the title went to Rafael Camara. At the mid-point of the season, he got a taste of Formula 3, racing at Spa-Francorchamps. It was a useful test as 2025 sees him make his real debut in the category, for a full season with ART Grand Prix.