The 2025 F3 season was a year of highs and lows for ART Grand Prix’s Tuukka Taponen. The rookie, who made the step up from the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine (FRECA), started the year strongly, but the second half of the year proved far more challenging for the 19 year-old Finn. Backed by the Ferrari Driver Academy, Taponen has already showcased his talent through his success in both karting and single-seaters. But before looking ahead to what 2026 holds for the 19 year-old, we take a look at how his 2025 F3 campaign unfolded.
Disastrous debut in Melbourne
Melbourne was far from the ideal start to Taponen’s rookie campaign. Despite an impressive showing during pre-season testing, the Finnish driver qualified a disappointing 24th. However, having fought through the field, the 19 year-old finished 14th in the Sprint Race and 20th in the Feature Race.
While the weekend didn’t unfold as hoped, Taponen took away several valuable lessons. Having already gained some Formula 3 experience in 2024 when he stepped in for a banned Nikola Tsolov at ART, the Finnish driver entered the year with a sense of some familiarity. Fortunately, his fortunes would soon shift as things began to come together in the following rounds.
A run of success
Taponen’s weekend in Bahrain was a stark contrast to his debut in Melbourne. Having gained valuable mileage during in-season testing at the circuit, the Finnish driver’s performance showed that the extra preparation had paid off. For ART and Taponen, everything came together. He qualified 6th and, benefitting from the reverse-grid format, lined up 7th for Sprint Saturday. During the Sprint Race, Taponen displayed impressive race craft and determination, fighting his way through the pack to claim his maiden F3 podium. He carried that momentum into Sunday’s Feature Race, finishing 4th — a great turnaround from the challenges he faced in Melbourne.
As we moved into the European leg of the season, Taponen carried solid momentum. He added to his points tally with two points-scoring outings in Imole before returning to the podium at the next round. The streets of Monaco proved rewarding for the Finn, as he capitalised on Alessandro Giusti’s slow start in the Sprint Race to move into 2nd — securing his second podium of the season. Subsequently, he followed that up with a 7th-place finish in the Feature Race, adding more valuable points to his total.
Up to this point, Taponen’s season had been shaping up to be a decent one. However, after his early success, momentum began to fade and the second half of the season marked a noticeable turn in pace and form.
Tough second half of the season
The first half of the season ended on a bitter note for Taponen. Barcelona proved to be a weekend to forget for the Finn. Despite a decent performance in Qualifying where he finished the session 9th, his Sprint Race ended prematurely after a poor start led to Rafael Câmara running into the back of the 19 year-old, forcing both to retire. The Feature Race offered to no redemption, as Taponen struggled for pace and slipped down the order to finish 19th.
The Austrian Sprint Race brought more misfortune for Taponen, as he became an innocent victim in a collision when another driver made contact with the side of his car. The Feature Race didn’t fare much better as he struggled to make progress through the field and finished 20th, right where he’d started. At Silverstone, the Sprint Race marked the continuation of Taponen’s streak of non-scoring finishes, his fifth in a row. However, the drought finally came to an end in the Feature Race as he crossed the line 10th.
Ending the season with a final podium
While Spa-Francorchamps marked another disappointing round for Taponen, his weekend in Hungary brought a better weekend after a tough run of races. Bouncing back in the Feature Race, the 19 year-old claimed his maiden Feature Race podium with a strong 3rd-place finish. And in a blink of an eye, the season finale had quickly approached. Taponen would have hoped for a stronger finish to his rookie season. After qualifying 9th, he faced a tough weekend, crossing the line 11th in the Sprint Race and 15th in the Feature Race.
A new start with MP Motorsport in 2026
Taponen ended the 2025 F3 season 9th in the Drivers’ Standings with 67 points. While he’s displayed flashes of speed throughout the year, consistency will be key as he prepares for his second campaign. After a season with ART, the Finn switches to MP Motorsport aiming for stronger results in 2026. With a season of experience under his belt, Taponen will be a driver to look out for. Hoping to follow in the footsteps of reigning FIA Formula 3 champion and fellow Ferrari Driver Academy member Rafael Câmara, the Finn would hope that 2026 brings more.
