Ahead of the opening round of the Formula 3 season in Melbourne, Tuukka Taponen reflected on the lessons learned from his previous visit to the Albert Park Circuit and the approach he planned to take into the new campaign. The MP Motorsport driver discussed the value of experience at the season opener, the importance of improving key areas such as qualifying, and the mindset required to start the year strongly without taking unnecessary risks. He highlighted the need for consistency and adaptability in what he expects to be a closely fought championship battle.
Taponen targets improved Qualifying after last year’s Melbourne lessons
Taponen believed his previous experience in Melbourne could give him a useful advantage heading into the first Formula 3 weekend of the season. Having already raced at the circuit the year before, he felt that his familiarity with the track and event would help him settle into the weekend more quickly, even though he still expected the rookies to be competitive as well. The Finn placed particular emphasis on improving his qualifying performance, which he considered the main weakness of his previous outing. A stronger start to the weekend, he suggested, would be key to making better use of the experience he gained during his first visit to the circuit.
“Yeah, I think it’s a bit the same for me. One year of experience will always help a bit at the beginning, but I have no doubt that the rookies can be also up there. Also for me, important is to do a better qualifying than last year because it was an ideal start. Yeah, the experience will help me, especially at the beginning.”
Taponen focused on strong but measured start to the Formula 3 season in Melbourne
Taponen approached the opening round of the season with a measured but determined mindset. He intended to push hard from the start and extract the maximum from the car, while remaining mindful of the cooler conditions expected early in the weekend. Rather than forcing the issue, he emphasised the importance of avoiding unnecessary risks and building into the race. In his view, the result of the first race would not define the campaign, making consistency and a clean start to the season the main priority.
“I think my mentality is to go full boost at the beginning, that’s for sure, but still without taking any massive risks because the temperature is still low. And by not finishing on the highest place in the first race doesn’t mean anything. So my mentality is still to do absolutely my maximum I can but without taking any big risks.”
Taponen trusts preparation after understanding last year’s Melbourne struggles
Reflecting on his difficult weekend in Melbourne the previous season, Taponen explained that his overall approach had not changed significantly. He noted that the circumstances of that event were unique, as it marked the opening round with a new generation of Formula 3 cars, leaving many teams and drivers still adapting. Despite the disappointing results, he believed the underlying reasons for the struggles were now well understood. As a result, his focus remained on executing his role properly and trusting that his usual preparation and approach would deliver stronger results this time.
“Yeah, obviously, with the previous team we know what went wrong and I’m not approaching too much differently to this weekend, to be honest, because I feel like my way to do is working still well. It was the first round of F3 last year with the new gen of cars, so everything was a bit new for everyone. It wasn’t an easy weekend, as you say, but I think we know what went wrong and I just need to do my job.”
Taponen emphasises consistency and adaptability in expected tight F3 title fight
Taponen underlined the importance of consistency as he expects a tightly contested championship. With teams such as Campos, MP Motorsport and Trident likely to fight at the front, he believed drivers would need to operate constantly at the limit while avoiding costly mistakes. At the same time, the experience gained with the current generation of cars during the previous season should provide a more stable foundation heading into the year. However, he stressed that adaptability would remain crucial, as changing track conditions and unpredictable race situations could quickly alter the competitive picture.
“So, yeah, I think it’s obvious to be consistent because everyone is pushing up at the absolute limit. But in the end, at the same time, you have a bit more experience with the cars now from last year. So you can expect something similar to this year.”
“Even you need to be always ready for what’s coming, what can come. And because there can be always changes on track and stuff like that. So yeah, it’s difficult because you need to adapt all the time to the situation you have.”
