After making a name for himself last season with a breakout podium finish at Kouvola, Anton Seppä took things to a whole new level last weekend at KymiRing.
Alongside the likes of Joni Turpeinen and Maiko Tamm, the 19-year-old Finn once again proved why he’s regarded as one of the brightest young talents in global Rallycross, behind the wheel of his Skoda Fabia Mk3 Supercar.
Seppä dominated early, topping the intermediate standings after the first day of competition. With the fastest time in Q3, he was on track to claim the coveted “Top Qualifier” status—only for a P8 in Q4 to cost him the spot, handing it to his compatriot and 2024 RallyX champion, Joni Turpeinen.
Despite wrapping up the weekend with a strong second place behind Maiko Tamm, Seppä couldn’t help but reflect with a touch of frustration on how the home round played out.
“It really was a fantastic weekend—no question about it,” said Anton.
“Sure, finishing second in the main final leaves a slightly unfinished feeling, but I’m still smiling. With such a competitive field, this result is anything but trivial. The final was completely wild. Even after the first lap, it was still wide open.”
The drama unfolded right from the start, with a chaotic opening lap that reshuffled the pack.
“We had contact in Turn 1, and from there I just focused on locking in second place. Fraser McConnell was right on my tail the whole way, but I held him off. Sure, the passenger door didn’t survive the battle—but that’s the essence of rallycross.”
Even with two fastest laps—one in the semis and one in the final—Seppä remains clear-eyed about the work still to be done.
“The start was messy. I took a heavy hit that pushed me off line, and someone took advantage to sneak by. Still, I take this as a positive. This race leaves me with a real sense of unfinished business, and that’s a good thing—it keeps me from getting complacent. We’re still a long way from being world champions.”
Now it’s time for a short break before diving back into the Finnish national championship.
“I’ll take a few days to catch my breath… though, yeah, we’ve got to wash the car first! And the race suits too!” laughed Anton.
“Then we shift focus to the next Finnish round in Honkajoki. I’m aware we still have plenty to refine. We need to find a bit more pace. Sometimes we were ahead, but other times it was very tight—or we were playing catch-up. That just shows the incredibly high level of the field at KymiRing.”
Still, Seppä is not letting any self-doubt creep in, even as he holds himself to a high standard.
“Maybe I’m being a little hard on myself. The results are solid, but if we look ahead, there’s still room to grow. The team deserves a 10 out of 10—they gave it everything to make sure the car ran perfectly. For myself, I’d give a solid 9-plus.”
One moment, in particular, stood out as a major confidence boost.
“One of the best parts of the weekend was that very first practice session. Everyone was discovering the track, and I was the fastest straight out of the gate. That felt really good. I’ve always known I adapt quickly to new circuits, and this just confirmed it. It was an incredible feeling.”
There’s no question: following Joni Turpeinen’s breakout season last year, Finland has another rising star ready to challenge at the highest levels of international Rallycross.
Interview by Mari Pekkanen