Photo: Formula Motorsport Ltd
Ferrari junior Tuukka Taponen will move up to FIA Formula 2 for 2027, returning to ART Grand Prix, the team he raced for in FIA Formula 3 in 2025.
After a difficult first half of the season with MP Motorsport, Taponen was one of the form drivers through the second half of the year, rounding off his season with a maiden feature race win in Madrid. He notched up two other podiums and took two pole positions as he came from behind to snatch third in the championship in the final round.
Taponen had moved up to F3 with ART in 2025 after a strong season in Formula Regional with R-ace GP, where he won the Middle East championship before placing third in Europe, behind Rafael Camara and James Wharton.
He stood on the podium three times on his way to ninth in the standings in his rookie F3 season with the French squad, having made a one-off apearance for the team at Spa-Francorchamps in 2024.
“ART is a team I know well, and I know how they work,” Taponen said.
“A new version of the car will be introduced in F2 next season and there will also be changes to the regulations, which will level the playing field for all teams. I believe that we have a good chance to fight for the top places right away.
“It’s also great to return to a team that already knows me and wanted me back. I’m confident I’ll get the support I need from the team to take this next step and pursue my goal of reaching Formula 1,” Taponen added.
ART lies sixth in the team standings after Baku although the points table does not properly represent the team’s underlying pace this season with Kush Maini qualifying on pole in both Miami and Budapest.
ART Grand Prix team principal Sebastien Philippe was quick to welcome Taponen back into the French team. “We are already a step ahead, having built a solid foundation and a strong relationship together in the past. This allows us to focus fully, from the outset, on his performance and the development of the car”.
Taponen is the third driver so far confirmed for F2 for 2027 after Freddie Slater at Invicta Racing and James Wharton at Trident.