35 Facts About Jarno Saarinen

Jarno Karl Keimo Saarinen was a Finnish professional Motorcycle racer.

Jarno Saarinen competed in the FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championships from 1968 to 1971 as Yamaha privateer, before receiving the Yamaha factory's full support in 1972 and 1973.

Jarno Saarinen remains the only Finn to have won a solo motorcycle road racing world championship.

Jarno Saarinen was born and raised in Turku, South-West Finland.

Jarno Saarinen made his racing debut in an ice race at Ylone in 1961, finishing in second place.

In 1965 Jarno Saarinen won the 250cc Finnish ice racing national championship ahead of Lansivuori, Martti Pesonen, and future 500cc Motocross World Champion, Heikki Mikkola.

Jarno Saarinen was noted for his distinctive riding style in which he kept his chest just above the motorcycle's fuel tank, and for the way he negotiated curves by shifting his body towards the inside of a turn while extending his knee out.

Jarno Saarinen's riding style, and the way he made his rear tyre slide in the turns influenced future world champion, Kenny Roberts, when he witnessed Saarinen during a race at the Ontario Motor Speedway in 1972.

Jarno Saarinen rode at the Ontario Champion Sparkplugs Classic in 1972, aboard a privately entered ex-works Al Godin Yamaha 350cc.

Jarno Saarinen was noted for the peculiar way in which he angled his handlebars in an almost vertical position.

Jarno Saarinen competed in his first full year in the 1970 250cc championship while continuing to act as his own mechanic.

Jarno Saarinen convinced three bank managers to fund his racing career under the mistaken belief that they were financing his education.

Jarno Saarinen finished the season in fourth place despite missing the final three rounds of the championship to complete his education by graduating as an engineer from the Turku Technical Institute.

In 1971, Giacomo Agostini was the reigning three-time 350cc world champion riding for MV Agusta however, Jarno Saarinen served notice by winning his first 350cc Grand Prix race in Czechoslovakia after Agostini's motorcycle had a mechanical failure.

Jarno Saarinen then finished second to Agostini in the Finnish Grand Prix before winning the Nations Grand Prix in Italy.

Jarno Saarinen competed in both 250cc and 350cc classes in 1971, finishing third in 250cc World Championship and second to Agostini in the 350cc class.

At the season-ending Spanish Grand Prix, Jarno Saarinen placed second behind de Vries, helping the Kreidler team secure the 50cc World Championship for de Vries.

Jarno Saarinen was riding a 250cc Yamaha TD3 production racer supplied by the Finnish Yamaha Importer, Arwidson Oy.

Jarno Saarinen rewarded Yamaha's faith in him by winning four of the last six Grand Prix races to clinch the 250cc World Championship, after a season-long battle with Renzo Pasolini and Rod Gould.

Jarno Saarinen finished second in the 1972 350cc World Championship, giving defending champion Giacomo Agostini a strong challenge by winning three races, including a victory at the German Grand Prix held at the daunting Nurburgring race track, where Saarinen inflicted Agostini his first defeat in a head-to-head race since the 1967 Canadian Grand Prix.

Jarno Saarinen scored a double victory at the Czechoslovakian Grand Prix with victories in both the 250cc and 350cc classes.

The threat from Jarno Saarinen's performance was so strong that the previously dominant MV Agusta factory was forced to produce a new 350cc motorcycle for Agostini and to hire Phil Read as his teammate for the remainder of the season.

Jarno Saarinen started the 1973 season competing in the season-opening Daytona 200, riding a Yamaha TZ 350 production racer against much larger 750cc motorcycles from the Kawasaki and Suzuki factory racing teams.

Jarno Saarinen patiently waited until taking the race lead on lap 32 and held on to take the victory ahead of Yamaha teammate Kel Carruthers.

Jarno Saarinen became the first European rider to win the Daytona 200, which at the time, was considered one of the most prestigious motorcycle races in the world.

Jarno Saarinen returned to Europe where, against an impressive field of competitors, he claimed a victory at the prestigious Imola 200 round of the inaugural Formula 750 European championship in 1973, defeating competitors on larger motorcycles with the TZ 350.

Jarno Saarinen jumped to an early lead in the 1973 world championships by scoring a double victory at the season-opening French Grand Prix.

Jarno Saarinen won the 250cc race more than 27 seconds ahead of his teammate Kanaya, and then beat Read by 16 seconds to win the 500cc race, where Agostini crashed while trying to follow the Finn.

Jarno Saarinen followed this with another double victory at the Austrian Grand Prix held at the fast Salzburgring circuit, 13 seconds and 25 seconds ahead of Kanaya.

Jarno Saarinen continued his winning streak by winning the 250cc German Grand Prix, more than 21 seconds ahead of his teammate but then failed to finish the 500cc race when his chain broke while he was dicing with Read for the win.

Jarno Saarinen arrived at the Nations Grand Prix leading both the 250cc and 500cc championships.

When he arrived at Monza, Jarno Saarinen had complained about the guardrails, but no action was taken.

The name Jarno Saarinen became very popular in Italy in the 1970s, one well-known bearer being former Formula-1 driver Jarno Saarinen Trulli.

Jarno Saarinen remains the only Finn to have won a motorcycle road racing world championship, winning 15 Grands Prix during his career.

Jarno Saarinen was a six time Finnish road racing national champion.