The youngest driver in RallyX history to win the Open 4WD/Supercar title, Joni Turpeinen is back in action this weekend, making his return to competition at the Riga round.
After stunning the paddock in 2024, Turpeinen will proudly wear number one on his doors this weekend. With two wins and four podiums in his rookie campaign, the young Finnish sensation now faces a stacked field of competitors.
From Casper Jansson to Fraser McConnell and Elias Svensson, Turpeinen will also go head-to-head with the likes of Janis Baumanis, Viktor Vranckx, Ulrik Linnemann, Maiko Tamm, Anton Seppä, Mikko Ikonen and Filip Thoren.
“I am really happy to be here. It feels great to be back in the RallyX championship. I think we’re going to have some fantastic races with a very strong field. I couldn’t ask for a better setting to measure how far we’ve come since last season,” says Turpeinen.
“As I mentioned at the end of 2024, the goal for 2025 is to focus on the Euro RX championship if everything goes according to plan. This weekend should be full of valuable insights – a chance to see exactly where we stand”
However, Riga won’t be his only appearance this season.
“Riga is one of the events closest to our base and we also plan to add the KymiRing round to our calendar. We used the off-season to upgrade the engine side of our Ford Fiesta. Of course, coming back to RallyX as reigning champions changes the picture a bit. It’s a completely different situation compared to 2024, when I had just moved up from CrossCar Junior and nobody really knew who I was”
“My approach will be different this weekend. I’ll give everything I’ve got to get a good result, but without putting myself under unnecessary pressure. I’m still very much a Finn at heart, so the idea of stressing myself out just to chase performance doesn’t really fit with my mindset”
Well acquainted with the unique demands of the Latvian circuit, Turpeinen already has some unfinished business in Riga.
“I raced here three years ago, but the weekend didn’t go very well. It was only my second ever race in CrossCar Junior and luck wasn’t really on my side. However, I have to admit that I really enjoy this track. It’s so much fun to drive”