30 Facts About Tuukka Taponen

Tuukka Taponen was born on 26 October 2006 and is a Finnish racing driver who competes in the FIA Formula 3 Championship with ART Grand Prix.

Tuukka Taponen previously competed in the 2024 Formula Regional European Championship with R-ace GP, finishing third overall.

Tuukka Taponen is a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy.

Tuukka Taponen started karting at the age of two, when his father Marko was a racer of jokkis or folkrace, a Finnish form of low-cost rallycross.

Tuukka Taponen came third in the Finnish Championship OK Junior class the following year, and won the championship in 2019.

Tuukka Taponen made his CIK debut in the CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy and came thirteenth in his class.

Tuukka Taponen joined Kohtala Sports for the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals in the Junior class, and came seventeenth.

Tuukka Taponen joined Kohtala Sports for the 2019 CIK-FIA European Championship and the 2019 CIK-FIA World Championship in the OKJ classes, and finished fourth and thirty-third in them.

In 2020, Tuukka Taponen joined the Tony Kart team in the OK Junior category, and finished third in the CIK-FIA European Championship and runner-up in the CIK-FIA World Championship.

Tuukka Taponen made his OK debut in 2021, and in his first weekend in the class, he won the 2021 CIK-FIA World Championship at Campillos.

Tuukka Taponen won the WSK Open Cup in the same year as well, and at the end of the year he took part in the FDA Scouting World Finals but didn't win, and was instead put under special observation by Ferrari.

Tuukka Taponen had a second appearance in the FDA Scouting World Finals in 2022, which secured his place at the Ferrari Driver Academy.

Tuukka Taponen made his single-seater debut in the 2021 Formula Academy Finland for Koiranen Kemppi Motorsport, in a part time campaign, he took a double win at the debut in the Kymi Ring, and in 2022 he did another part time campaign and came sixth in the championship, remaining unbeaten in all the races he competed in.

Tuukka Taponen made his first full time single-seater debut in the 2023 Formula 4 UAE Championship for Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited.

At his first race weekend in the Dubai Autodrome, Tuukka Taponen got his first podium in the series in his second race, he achieved another podium in the following race.

Tuukka Taponen collected his two maiden poles in the fourth round in Dubai Autodrome, and got a clean sweep of wins in all three races.

The third race is Spa-Francorchamps was a decrease in form, as Tuukka Taponen only managed two seventh-place finishes in the first and third race.

Tuukka Taponen recovered to ninth but after receiving a 10-second penalty, he dropped out of the points and into fifteenth place.

Tuukka Taponen contested the inaugural season of the Euro 4 Championship for Prema Racing.

Tuukka Taponen was consistent with points, and got his maiden podiums at the final round in Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, he finished the championship in 5th with 102 points.

Tuukka Taponen would make his racing debut in Formula Regional machinery in the Formula Regional Middle East Championship for R-ace GP, partnering Jesse Carrasquedo Jr.

Tuukka Taponen would help his team R-ace GP to the team's championship trophy, the team collecting 312 points with the help of his teammates.

Alongside his 2024 Formula Regional Middle East Championship campaign, Tuukka Taponen tackled the 2024 Formula Regional European Championship for his full-time campaign, driving for R-ace GP alongside Enzo Deligny and FRMEC teammate Zachary David.

Tuukka Taponen won the next race at Mugello Circuit, claiming another pole position.

Tuukka Taponen made his FIA Formula 3 debut with ART Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps.

Tuukka Taponen finished the season 31st in the drivers standings, ranking as the highest part time driver in the championship.

In October 2024, Tuukka Taponen was again recruited by ART, this time to contest the full 2025 FIA Formula 3 season with the French outfit.

Tuukka Taponen was joined at the team by FRECA rival James Wharton and returning driver Laurens van Hoepen.

Tuukka Taponen achieved his first Formula 3 podium in the sprint race at Sakhir, finishing third.

In 2023, Tuukka Taponen joined the Ferrari Driver Academy after winning the FDA World Scouting Final.