Tuukka Taponen celebrated MP Motorsport’s recent progress in 2026 after securing his maiden F3 pole position during Qualifying in Budapest.
The Finnish driver produced a 1:33.411 on his final attempt to beat TRIDENT’s Freddie Slater to pole by 0.040 seconds. MP Motorsport teammate Mattia Colnaghi completed the top three, only 0.064s behind Taponen.
The result also delivered MP Motorsport’s first F3 pole since Monza in 2022 and made Taponen the first Finnish driver to achieve the feat in 13 years.
Speaking during the post-Qualifying F3 press conference attended by Pit Debrief, Taponen discussed the team’s improved form, the fine margins that decided the session and his approach to the Sprint and Feature Races.
Maiden pole rewards MP Motorsport’s work
Taponen and MP Motorsport endured a difficult opening phase to the 2026 season. However, the team showed stronger pace during the recent Spa-Francorchamps round before taking another step forward in Hungary.
Taponen welcomed the opportunity to demonstrate the team’s potential after waiting throughout the season for a qualifying breakthrough.
“Feels great, for sure. Yeah, we have been waiting for it quite a long time, honestly. We have done a good step forward, and I’m very happy finally to be able to show what we are capable of.”
MP Motorsport placed all three of its drivers near the front, with Taponen taking pole and Colnaghi securing third. The result confirmed the progress the team had displayed during the previous round.
Taponen expressed pride in the work that helped MP Motorsport recover from its challenging start.
“Yeah, it’s been tough. I think we have been working super hard to get to the front, and looks like we have achieved it. And, I can just smile for that and be really proud of what we have been able to do.”
The team must now convert its Qualifying performance into points across the two races.
Taponen finds pole despite imperfect final lap in 2026 Budapest F3 Qualifying
Small margins separated the leading drivers throughout Qualifying. Taponen took pole, although he did not consider his decisive lap perfect. He believed the MP Motorsport car had enough pace to reach the front even without a completely optimised attempt.
“Yeah, I think the lap was not bad. Gaps were really tight. I think P9 was, like, a bit more than one-tenth off. So, yeah, I would say there was room for improvement on the lap, for sure, and I didn’t feel like that was the pole lap. It feels like the car was good enough for pole this time.”
The close order placed additional importance on clean execution. One mistake, lock-up or compromised corner could move a driver several positions down the grid. Taponen therefore focused on completing a clean lap rather than pursuing every possible fraction of a second.
“Yeah, it’s very difficult to put everything together. Like Mattia said, there was maybe some time more on the table, but, just need to make a clean and good run, let’s say. It will make the difference, and then, yeah, obviously be honest straight away since the first run.”
Although Taponen identified further potential in his lap, his execution still gave him the narrow advantage over Slater and Colnaghi.
MP Motorsport strategy helps Taponen find clean air
Track position created another important challenge during the final Qualifying runs. Drivers often slowed through the final sector as they attempted to create space before beginning their laps. That approach increased the risk of traffic, yellow flags and compromised preparations.
Pit Debrief asked Taponen whether his position further back in the queue made the final run more difficult to manage.
“Yeah, I think it did here. The most important thing is to maximise the clean air you can have. You don’t want to get chaos, so it was better to go a bit earlier than too late, to avoid all the chaos. And, I think we did very good job in terms of strategy, and, we did what we wanted.”
MP Motorsport sent Taponen onto the circuit early enough to avoid the worst congestion while still allowing him to benefit from the improving track. The strategy gave him enough room to prepare his tyres and complete the lap that secured pole.
Tyre management will shape 2026 Budapest F3 Feature Race victory bid from pole
Taponen will start Sunday’s Feature Race from first position. However, he expects tyre degradation to play an important role throughout the contest.
The Hungaroring’s limited overtaking opportunities will increase the value of a strong start. Nevertheless, Taponen must also protect his tyres while controlling the race from the front.
“For sure, need to have a good start. Then, try to look after the tyres as much as possible because I think degradation will be in a big role here again, like in Spa. Try and manage the race from the beginning and hope that I can keep the lead.”
Spa rewarded drivers who conserved their tyres during the opening laps. Taponen expects Budapest to create a similar management challenge despite the circuits’ different layouts.
He will therefore need to balance early defence with the requirement to preserve enough performance for the closing stages.
Taponen plans cautious 2026 Budapest F3 Sprint Race approach after Qualifying success
Before starting from pole on Sunday, Taponen will line up 12th for the reverse-grid Sprint Race. The Saturday contest offers an opportunity to score points and gather information about tyre behaviour. However, an incident or penalty could also compromise his Feature Race prospects.
Pit Debrief asked how the pole result would influence his approach to the remainder of the weekend.
“Yeah, more or less what Freddie said. Big points are on Sunday, and you don’t want to be taking a big risks on Saturday by maybe affecting it on Sunday. You know, maybe there is an incident and you get the grid drop, so you want to avoid all these kind of stuff. Obviously, you want to get as much as data as possible and then be ready for Sunday.”
Taponen will still pursue points in the Sprint Race, but he plans to avoid unnecessary risks that could affect his position for Sunday.
Moreover, the race will give MP Motorsport valuable information about degradation, overtaking opportunities and the balance of its car over a longer distance.
Taponen becomes first Finnish F3 polesitter in 13 years after 2026 Budapest F3 Qualifying success
Taponen’s result also ended a 13-year wait for a Finnish Formula 3 polesitter. While he welcomed the achievement, he quickly turned his attention towards converting first position into a strong Feature Race result.
“Yeah, it’s nice to have a pole, for sure. It’s been a while since last Finn did a pole, so, yeah, happy for that right now, but still enjoying only today, and tomorrow already focussing to the races, especially on Sunday. Obviously, starting on pole; tomorrow, starting P12. So, yeah, it’s been a strong tag for me always.”
Taponen also identified former Formula 1 World Champion Kimi Räikkönen as the Finnish driver he watched most closely during his childhood.
“Yeah, in the past, I think I was watching the most Räikkönen driving, and, yeah, nice memories for him in Ferrari as well.”
The historic statistic adds further significance to Taponen’s breakthrough. However, the MP Motorsport driver now wants to convert the qualifying result into his first F3 Feature Race victory.
His pole position demonstrated MP Motorsport’s progress after a difficult start to the season. The Budapest races will now show whether the team can sustain that pace across a full race distance.
