🇫🇮 Kari-Pekka Laaksonen

Kari-Pekka Laaksonen is a retired semi-professional endurance racing driver who competed in multiclass grids across two championships. He raced primarily for HRT Performance in the 24H Series, where he drove Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992) cars and TCR touring cars in the 992 and TCR classes. His career spanned from 2014 to 2023, with most of his racing concentrated in the 24H Series between 2018 and 2023.[1]

Laaksonen took the 2018 24H Series championship with LMS Racing by Bas Koeten Racing. Across his 19 starts in that series he took four wins and ten podiums, putting him among the class regulars. His earlier racing included four starts in the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie between 2014 and 2018, where he raced in the Cup 2, SP 7, and TCR classes.[2]

He raced consistently against entry-level professionals in the 24H Series, closely matched with regulars including Ivo Breukers, the 2023 series champion, and Stéphane Perrin across multiple seasons. He also finished ahead of established professionals Thierry Vermeulen, a FIA Gold driver with extensive GT and touring car racing across four different championships, and Rodrigo Sales, who competed at IMSA level.