The 17-year-old Kauppinen, alongside co-driver Veli-Pekka Karttunen, will compete in this season’s Finnish Rally Championship (SM3 class). Kauppinen has shown impressive speed and clinched an overwhelming class victory at the traditional Arctic Lapland Rally.
Hailing from Lankamaa in Laukaa, Finland, the same village as four-time world champion Juha Kankkunen, Kauppinen claimed the Finnish Junior Rally Championship in 2021 and secured the SM4 class title last year.
Rautio Motorsport is providing the youngster with a comprehensive package of tools for climbing higher in the rally world. Kauppinen will gain experience in dealing with media and partners and receive guidance and mentoring from more experienced drivers.
Team Principal Markku Rautio explains the commitment to their protégé.
“We’ve been considering a two-driver team, but we haven’t rushed into it. Tuukka is young and has already shown his speed. Now we have two top drivers at different stages of their careers.”
“The road to the top of the rally world is rocky for both, but besides financial investments, we’re doing everything else necessary to smooth the path. Physical training and learning English, for example, are important,” says Rautio.
Roope Korhonen, leading the Finnish Rally Championship, is in his second season with Rautio Motorsport. Coincidentally, both team drivers come from the same municipality in Central Finland, Laukaa.
Kauppinen has been closely watched in rally circles for a few years and is considered a top talent in the sport.
“It feels really good and even relieving. We’ve worked really hard in rallying, and we got a great opportunity to really advance our careers. I look forward to continuing good driving and developing it even further with a four-wheel-drive car when the time comes,” Kauppinen enthuses.
Rautio reveals plans to add the WRC event Rally Finland to Kauppinen’s calendar, featuring stages around Laukaa. Although the familiar Lankamaa stage is not on this year’s route, participating in his first WRC event would be an extraordinary experience.
“Competing in the Rally Finland this year would be really fantastic, but it’s not yet certain. I would gain a lot of experience and get a feel for what it’s like to compete in a World Rally Championship event. Both Rautio and our current sponsors are joining forces, and we’re going to build a strong package,” says Kauppinen.
Rautio Motorsport’s collaboration with Roope Korhonen has been fruitful. Last season, the Finnish prospect won the WRC3 class championship. This year, alongside the Finnish series, Korhonen will compete in selected WRC2 class events.
