Competing for only the second time in the top class of the Finnish Rally Championship with a Toyota Rally2 car, Kauppinen delivered an outstanding performance. The super talent outpaced the entire field, including Rovanperä and Esapekka Lappi, becoming the youngest driver ever to win the iconic Arctic Lapland Rally.
Kauppinen has been on the radar in rally circles for a years now. Hailing from Lankamaa in Laukaa, he previously won championships in the lower classes of the Finnish Rally Championship. This season, he made the permanent move to the wheel of a four-wheel-drive Rally2 car.
Based on the start of the season, the jump to the top class didn’t come too soon. He secured second place in the opening round in Kuopio and an incredible victory at the Arctic Lapland Rally in Rovaniemi.
Rovanperä, who competed in Rovaniemi for testing purposes, also took note of Kauppinen’s impressive display.
“He already looked strong in Kuopio, and now he’s built on that momentum. That’s exactly how it should be driven – going with the feeling – and it looks like it’s going really well,” Rovanperä praised.
“He drove really well. I don’t know him personally, but his performance didn’t come as a surprise,” Rovanperä told RallyJournal.com.

Esapekka Lappi, who made his return to the Finnish Rally Championship, also had high praise for Kauppinen. Lappi had a tight battle with the young challenger over the weekend, but the veteran made a driving error on Saturday, which relegated him to second place in the SM1 class.
“Tuukka drove really well. He doesn’t have much experience with the Rally2 car, but he’s handling it excellently.”
According to Lappi, Kauppinen proved in Rovaniemi that he has all the qualities needed to reach the top of the rallying world.
“I hope someone takes note of his name now that he’s shown he can compete against us. Hopefully, someone at Skoda or elsewhere remembers his name, and he gets a chance to test himself on a bigger stage. He clearly has the talent,” Lappi said.