Porsche GT3 CUP Trophy Finland At the end of the 2011 few active Porsche enthusiasts in Finland decided to make history and bring a new racing class into the Finnish racing scene. Even though it was already a bit late for 2012 season the strong minded individuals organized themselves and started the job that many described hopeless or desperate. Raimo Niemi, the mastermind behind the idea collected around him technical wizard Jyrki Tuusa, long time Porsche purists, team mates and sponsors Ari Paronen, Tapio Rytilä and Matti Kylämarkula, added with support of Lauri "Lare" Aarnio. This core group of people did practically everything themselves to get Porsche GT3 CUP Trophy started in Finland. At the beginning of the 2012 it still seemed as almost an impossible task to fulfill all the Finnish Automobile Association AKK's and Porsche Motorsports requirements, due the tight timetable. With good planning, hard work and with strong support from Porsche Motorsport, bit by bit everything started to look brighter. Right before deadline the regulations were ready and there were the minimum amount of GT3 CUP cars in Finland, with a strong promise to have even two more before the first race. Finally AKK promised Porsches an own start in FINRace events, if we can get the ten cars to the starting grid in every race. So, in April, the official agreement between Porsche Racing Club Finland and Porsche Motorsport was finally signed and all the details, together with 10 GT3 CUP cars, were in place. Raimo Niemi had also worked hard with Mandatum Life, the official sponsor of Porsche GT3 Trophy Finland, to get logos, communication plan, invitations to the VIP persons, etc in to the right standards. The teams were busy getting the cars in Finland and testing them for the season. Aarnio Racing was selected as the official parts supply and Lare Aarnio was busy getting his team ready as well. Suddenly, just before the first race week‐end, all the pieces were in place and the first official season on Porsche GT3 CUP Trophy Finland was ready to start! P o r s c h e R a c i n g C l u b F i n l a n d r y w w w . p r c f . f i w w w . g t 3 c u p . f i Page 1 First racing week end, Alastaro, 19.‐20.5.2012
Tight racing from the beginning, first race was won by Raimo Niemi and second was Janne Laitinen, both long time Porsche racers but both in new cars for them. In the second race they tightly switched places followed by Ari Laivola in both races. Ari is a long time rally driver and was a bit surprised from the tight racing and speed on the tarmac. Second racing week end, Botniaring Jurva, 30.6.‐1.7.2012
P o r s c h e R a c i n g C l u b F i n l a n d r y w w w . p r c f . f i w w w . g t 3 c u p . f i Page 2
For the second race week end the Porsche GT3 CUP Trophy Finland Official Sponsor, Mandatum Life and the teams did invite some 120 of their customers, friends and staff to follow racing in Jurva. Also Porsche Motorsport representatives Michael Dreiser, Manager of International One‐Make Series and Christoph Werner, Customer Racing Services arrived from Germany. Finnish weather did not show its best for the quests but it did not slow down the competition on the track. Ari Laivola won his first race, mostly due a bold decision to start with slicks when most of the others had chosen otherwise after heavy rain shower. Second race was won by Raimo Niemi who dominated the start on his home track from the beginning. Christoph Werner from Porsche Motorsport had a technical briefing to the drivers and teams after the first race, this was highly appreciated by all the Finns. After all, most of the teams were still learning how to maintain and fine tune the GT3 CUP cars. Michael and Christoph were pleased to see how dedicated the drivers and teams are to the Porsche and racing in general. Hopefully we can show next year more cars and better weather to them. Third racing week end 11.‐12.8.2012 Kemora, Veteli
Tight racing continued in Kemora, most northern race track in Finland. First race was won by Janne Laitinen but not by much, the overtaking from Raimo Niemi happened only at the last moment, right before the checkered flag. Second race of the week end was as tight but this time Raimo Niemi was able to keep Janne Laitinen behind. The difference was only 0,8 second at the end. Ari Laivola was third in both races, looking from behind if the two at front would make any mistakes. P o r s c h e R a c i n g C l u b F i n l a n d r y w w w . p r c f . f i w w w . g t 3 c u p . f i Page 3
Fourth racing week end 8.‐9.9.2012 Ahvenisto, Hämeenlinna
Ahvenisto is the oldest track in use in Finland, located right in the city of Hämeenlinna. Mandatum Life and PRCF had again invited VIP guests to follow races on the spot. The points for the Trophy championship were so close that anything could happen. The first race was wet and dominated again by the wet condition specialist Raimo Niemi, Janne Laitinen had to give room for Toni Niemelä to overtake for the second place, so the result was: 1. Raimo Niemi; 2. Toni Niemelä; 3. Janne Laitinen. Overall points were even tighter than before… In the second race happened what everyone was afraid, a big crash at the start. Clearly there is no room for three cars side by side in the first corner of Ahvenisto track. Raimo Niemi, Tuisku Urpiala and Toni Niemelä had to go to the pit after the crash and only Toni was able to continue. Janne Laitinen got a 20 second penalty for not noticing the cars at the rear corner, the time sanction dropped Janne to the 4th position, Ari Laivola won his second race, Simo P Kangas was second and Daniel Skurnik third. Going to the final weekend, all the positions were still open… P o r s c h e R a c i n g C l u b F i n l a n d r y w w w . p r c f . f i w w w . g t 3 c u p . f i Page 4 Final and Fifth race weekend 22.‐23.9.2012 Motopark, Virtasalmi
Everything was still open before the exciting final weekend. The weather was again rainy and cold, the Motopark was a new track to the most drivers, since there has not been high class racing for many years. Before the first race Raimo Niemi had problems to get his tyres changed due cold weather and he had to start with rain tyres even when the rain had just stopped. Jane Laitinen took the first place after some dramatic passing attempts from Ari Laivola, both went off the track from their own mistakes but Janne was able to continue while Ari stayed on the slippery grass next to the track. Simo Kangas took the second place and Toni Niemelä third. Raimo Niemi dropped far from the lead due the wrong tyres. In the second race it rained again and Raimo showed again his wet condition skills and dominated the race from the beginning to the end and Janne Laitinen was as clearly the second. There was a good fight over the third position between Ari Laivola and Simo Kangas, Ari overtook Simo just before the end and finished third. Overall the Porsche GT3 CUP Trophy Finland had total of 12 different drivers in 11 cars. The racing was quite clean and the spirit among the drivers and teams was extremely friendly. The spirit was noted even from the other racing series and attracted at least couple of new drivers from other marque series to join Porsche Racing scene for the 2013 season. The season ended with an exhibition at the VM Motorsport Show in Helsinki, where all the three best drivers had their cars on display. The Porsche Racing Club Finland held a separate price giving party to the GT3 CUP Trophy which ended with a dinner cruise with the teams and sponsors. Now everyone is already looking for the next season, with more cars and more races… 2013 is going to be the big breakthrough for Porsche racing in Finland!
P o r s c h e R a c i n g C l u b F i n l a n d r y w w w . p r c f . f i w w w . g t 3 c u p . f i Page 5 P o r s c h e R a c i n g C l u b F i n l a n d r y w w w . p r c f . f i w w w . g t 3 c u p . f i Page 6