Private consortium revives Grand Prix project in Finland
F1 hasn't visited Finland since 1953, but the TRP Hungary consortium now owns a stake in the KymiRing factory and circuit. Although the initial project is to host MotoGP, the investment fund is also hoping to obtain FIA Grade 1 accreditation, thus reviving rumours of a return of F1 to Valtteri Bottas's country.
Since the 2021 season, new circuits are joining the F1 calendar. In 2021, Zandvoort returned after a 35-year absence. Jeddah and Losail also hosted F1 for the first time that same year. Miami joined the championship in 2022, and then Las Vegas made its comeback on a new urban track, for the first time since 1983.
With the growing popularity of Formula 1 since its acquisition by Liberty Media in 2017, many countries want to host the pinnacle of motor racing. Finland, the birthplace of Kimi Räikkönen, Mika Häkkinen, and Valtteri Bottas, wanted to join MotoGP in 2020 with its KymiRing circuit, located 110 kilometers northeast of the capital Helsinki. However, the global pandemic, as well as the war in Ukraine, put an end to the project.
A future Formula 1 Grand Prix in Finland?
But since a consortium of investors, led by TRP Hungary, acquired the shares of the KymiRing factory, which had filed for bankruptcy in 2023. This consortium aims to revive the MotoGP project, but also to obtain the FIA grade 1, necessary to host a Formula 1 race.
The consortium asserts that the investment to revitalize the project is entirely private. Tamás Őry, CEO of TRP Hungary, stated his intention to: « create a financially sound investment that successfully operates a leading motor sport facility in the region. »
It is remarkable to have the opportunity to get involved and contribute to the development of KymiRing in Finland, a country with incredibly rich history and culture in the field of motor racing. From rallying to circuit racing, on two or four wheels, Finland is the preferred destination for motorsports, he continues.
