Paavo Laakkonen

Paavo Laakkonen
Laakkonen in 2011
Nationality	Valkean
Born	(1979-11-05) November 5, 1979 Novika, Suurilaakso, Valkea
Astyrian Formula One Championship
Years active	2001-2017
Teams	Garland, MacGregor, Sidus, LZS
Championships	3 (2007, 2012, 2013)
Astyrian Rally Championship
Years active	2018-2021
Teams	Hedlund Sport
Valkean GT Championship
Years active	2022-Present
Teams	Comet Motorsport

Paavo Laakkonen (born 5 November 1979) is a Valkean racing driver who competed in Astyrian Formula One from 2001 to 2016. He won the Drivers' Championship for Sidus in 2007, 2012, and 2013. After his F1 career, he joined the Astyrian Rally Championship as a driver for Hedlund Sport from 2018 to 2021, and the Valkean GT championship for Comet Motorsport since 2022.

Laakkonen first entered Astyrian F1 in 2001, joining the Garland team for the 2001 and 2002 seasons. He then drove for MacGregor from 2003 to 2005, and became a title contender in 2005 behind Phaeton driver Augustus Tertullius. Laakkonen's seasons with MacGregor were marred with unreliability problems, prompting him to move to the revived Sidus F1 Team. This change meant he became the Drivers' Champion for the 2007 Formula One season.

Despite numerous setbacks since then, Laakkonen remained with Sidus for several years. In 2012 he was crowned Drivers' Champion for the 2nd time, making him the first Valkean driver to win multiple titles in Formula One. He repeated this feat in 2013 but left the team in 2014 to join the LZS Formula One team, where he would remain until his retirement.

He is famous and loved by fans for his calm demeanor in the face of pressure, his blunt personality, and a smooth, relaxed driving style. Various magazines have listed him as one of Astyria's highest paid athletes during his career at Sidus.

Early and personal life

Laakkonen was born in Novika, Suurilaakso, Valkea to a middle-class family. His father worked as an entrepreneur and his mother was a schoolteacher. He was described by his teachers and his classmates to be a shy and nonchalant individual. His interest in cars began at the age of eight, when he went with his father to a local karting race in Novika. Soon after, Laakkonen pleaded with his father to buy him a go-kart, which the latter resisted until his son was ten.

He married TV personality Erika Nieminen in 2006 and had two children with her. They divorced in 2015. Since then, he has remarried in 2019, this time to Sarita Penttinen, a fashion model who won Miss Valkea in 2016.

Early career

At the age of 11, Laakkonen began entering in kart racing competition. While he struggled in his first year, he started winning local and national competitions. In 1994, he won the Valkean Karting Championship and the Valkean Kart Challengers' Cup. These early successes prompted his move to karting competitions outside of Valkea.

In 1995 he finished 5th place in the Northern Lorecian Kart Masters' Cup, as well as 3rd place in the Southern Lorecian Karting Series. This was followed by a brief stint in the 1996 Juhola Karting Cup, where he finished 8th, as well as in the 1996 Astyrian Karting Championship, where he finished 3rd. He returned to the Astyrian Karting Championship in 1997, finishing 1st in the standings.

He moved up to car racing in 1998, joining the Valkean Formula 3 Series and the Lorecian Formula 3 Series. In the latter, he clinched the championship by winning the first five races of the 1998 season. He retained his title in the 1999 Lorecian Formula 3 season, and won the 2000 Astyrian Formula Two Championship.

Astyrian Formula One

Garland (2001-2002)

Because of Laakkonen's results in the lower divisions, Jacob Garland signed him to join the 2001 season for the Garland F1 team. He was paired with Haguenauan driver Olivier Gaubert. This decision was met with criticism, mainly due to his inexperience in open-wheel racing - the Valkean only had 30 races to his name. Regardless, the Astyrian Motorsport Federation (AMF) granted him an F1 Super Licence for 2001. Immediately he made an impression, taking 7th place at the first race of the season at the Arimathean Grand Prix. His debut year with Garlan was a solid one, finishing seven races within the top eight. Further success followed in the 2002 season, where the Valkean scored his first podium at the Noordenstaat Grand Prix.

MacGregor (2003-2005)

Laakkonen's performance with Garlan caught the attention of MacGregor team principal Bradley Pearce. Fellow Valkean and former MacGregor driver Nico Paavola was a major influence in the team's decision to choose Laakkonen, famously telling Pearce, "If you want a champion, get the Valkean."

For the 2003 season, he was paired with Alistair O'Donnell, who won the Drivers' Championship in 2000 and 2001. The Valkean held his own against his teammate, taking his very first victory at his debut race in the Arimathean Grand Prix. Famously, he was found sleeping in his motorhome one hour before the race. Despite the MacGregor suffering reliability issues throughout the season, Laakkonen was able to take six podiums for the team. He was set to take the victory at the Hindia Belandan Grand Prix, but an engine failure retired him from the race. Together with the Aswickan, they scored enough points for MacGregor to finish 3rd in the Constructors' Championship.

MacGregor debuted a more reliable package for the 2004 season, yet they were unable to challenge the dominance of Phaeton and their driver Augustus Tertullius. Neventheless, Laakkonen took his first victory at the 2004 Aswickan Grand Prix, the first for MacGregor at Sherbourne Circuit since 1995. He would finish on the podium behind the Confederate driver in several events. Among these podium places, the most infamous occasion took place at the Kelonnan Grand Prix, where the Valkean attempted to overtake Tertullius down the straight before the Turn 12-13 chicane. Tertullius responded by forcing Laakkonen to go wide on the entry to Turn 12, which in turn forced the latter to back off. This was met with wide criticism, as such a move nearly caused Laakkonen's car to clip the kerb and lift off, which would have caused a major accident.

2005 was Laakkonen's strongest season with the team, yet once again he finished the standings in 2nd behind Tertullius. However, competition was closer and he claimed five victories for MacGregor. At the Azmir Grand Prix, Laakkonen was in the lead trying to defend against Raamaker driver Max De Ruyter. But despite the latter posting many fastest laps, he managed to fend the Noordenstaater to win the race. Another victory was added soon after at the Aswickan Grand Prix, when the Valkean took the lead from Tertullius due to the latter pitting. His third victory that year, the Monsa Grand Prix, Laakkonen took pole position and retained his lead for much of the race. At the Valkean Grand Prix, he was penalized in qualifying and sent back to the rear of the pack. However, he was able to pass car after car in the race and finish in 1st. Many pundits have considered this one of his best performances of his career.

Sidus (2006-2013)

Laakkonen signed a three-year contract with the revived Sidus F1 team, pairing with Nidwaldeser driver Adrian Berkhoff. He started the Arimathean Grand Prix on pole position, but he fell behind Zander Rico and Tertullius and stayed in 3rd for the rest of the race. Regardless, he was able to deliver consistent performances, often finishing within the top 6. His only victory that year was at the Valkean Grand Prix, where he started the race in 10th and finished in 1st - marking the first time that a Valkean constructor has ever won their home race. The Valkean finished in the Drivers' Championship in 3rd place, behind Tertullius and De Ruyter.

The 2007 season was considered by many pundits to be Laakkonen's strongest year. The Sidus FS-207 proved to be a dominant car out of pre-season testing, greatly outpacing the FS-206 from the previous season. The season opener at the Arimathean Grand Prix saw the Valkean claim pole position, and a race victory for Sidus. He was on track to win the next race at the Aswickan Grand Prix, but a mistake caused him to lock up and leave the track, crashing into the tire barrier. He was mostly unhurt, but struggled to regain his confidence for the next three races. But then, he performed brilliantly at the Kelonnan Grand Prix, fighting MacGregor's John Callaghan for the lead and winning the race. From then on, Laakkonen won the next eight races, a record that still stands to this day. Thus, Laakkonen won his first Drivers' Title; the third Valkean to do so after Henri Koivu and Nico Paavola.

However, 2008 proved to be a difficult season for Laakkonen and Sidus. He often retired from races due to reliability problems, which meant he wasn't able to maintain his championship title. In the few times that his car lasted to the end of the race, Laakkonen claimed podium finishes. He was able to score the team's only win of the season at the Hindia Belandan Grand Prix, where he was able to build a lead from the rest of the field due to a thunderstorm. Troubles continued to plague the Valkean for the 2009 season, where he went through the season winless. A collision at the 2009 Hindia Belandan Grand Prix with Berkhoff soured relations, and it further worsened when the Nidwaldester realized that the team was playing favorites with Laakkonen. As a result, Berkhoff announced his departure from Sidus at the end of 2009.

In response, Sidus brought in then-reserve driver Pekka Koivu as Laakkonen's teammate for the 2010 season. The all-Valkean lineup was highly anticipated, especially since it looked like the FS-210 was going to be a competitive car, and that the team was more harmonious. But Sidus' reliability issues kept hampering the team's efforts, robbing Laakkonen of race wins at the Nikolian Grand Prix, ViZion Grand Prix, and the Scottopian Grand Prix, losing the championship to Phaeton's Tertius DiParadisa. At the Valkean Grand Prix, he tried and failed to challenge LZS's Tomasz Maruszewski for the lead, finishing behind the Nikolian and just ahead of his former teammate, Berkhoff.

In 2011, Sidus improved their reliability, and Laakkonen looked to be all set to make a championship challenge. However, the 2011 season proved to be a competitive season, with Maruszewski and DiParadisa proving to be strong contenders. The three drivers battled hard all season, but despite victories at the ViZion Grand Prix and the Monsa Grand Prix, he was unable to go higher than 3rd place in that year's Drivers' Championship.

The 2012 season was a promising one for Sidus, as their car proved to be competitive during pre-season testing. But it also turned out to be one of the most competitive seasons in years. Laakkonen, along with Tertius DiParadisa, Pekka Koivu, LZS's Stefan Lakowski, and Maruszewski - who moved to MacGregor - fought hard all season long, trading victories with one another from race to race. Laakkonen attempted to challenge Lakowski for the lead at the Noordenstaat Grand Prix, but the Valkean locked up in Turn 12, which led to a collision between the two. Koivu went on to win the race. He bounced back at the Nikolian Grand Prix, where he took pole position and won that race, giving Sidus back-to-back victories. Despite only winning a total of six times throughout the season, his consistent driving and frequent podium finishes throughout the year gave him enough points to edge out his rivals and take his 2nd Drivers' Championship, becoming the first Valkean driver to become a double champion.

In 2013, Laakkonen again clinched the Drivers' Title due to his points consistency over outright pace. However, he endured a difficult season around that time, finding the FS-213 a challenge to drive to the limit and straining his relationship with then-Sidus team principal Henry Ross. Contract negotiations for him to remain at the team fell through, and in a press conference at the Hindia Belandan Grand Prix, Laakkonen announced that he was leaving Sidus after the end of the 2013 season. After the penultimate race at the Arimathean Grand Prix, LZS announced that they have signed Laakkonen for the 2014 season on a multi-year contract.

Astyrian Rally Championship

In December 2017, the Hedlund Sport Rally Team announced that Laakkonen will be driving for them for the 2018 season. He is scheduled to participate in all 13 rounds of the 2018 Astyrian Rally Championship. He made his rallying debut at the Monsa Rally, gaining his first ever points with his 8th place finish.

Driver profile

Personality

Laakkonen is best known for having a cool temperament, especially when under pressure. As such, he would often show up at the pits late before a race. At his debut at the 2001 Arimathean Grand Prix, Garlan race mechanics found him sleeping in his motorhome one hour before the race. At the 2008 Monsan Grand Prix, he was found in his hotel room watching a football match and had to be brought to the track by his mechanic.

He is known for giving blunt and laconic answers at media interviews. When asked if there is any sentimentalities for his helmet, he replied, "It protects my head." He is also outspoken against politics and off-track drama in motorsport. In a media interview in 2015, Laakkonen said, "I don't like politics in racing, drama is not what I'm here for."

He is also famous for his terse radio conversations during races. When told of his decreasing gap between him and LZS driver Tomasz Maruszewski in the 2010 Nidwaldeser Grand Prix, he replied to his race engineer, "Yes, yes, yes, I know what to do, keep quiet!" Quotes like this attracted media coverage throughout his career.