Tanskanen Racing FC

**Tanskanen Racing**
Tanskanen Racing's initial logo
Full name	Tanskanen Racing Formula Challenge Team
Base	Kiiminki, Finland
Team principal/s	Juha Tanskanen
Race drivers	34. Mikko Jakonen 35. Ed Williams
Test drivers	Doug Hilliard
Chassis	FC-013
Engine	GPVWC
Tyres	GPVWC
GPVWC Formula Challenge Career
Début	2013 Australian Grand Prix
Latest race	2013 Malaysian Grand Prix
Races competed	4
Constructors' Championships	0
Drivers' Championships	0
Race victories	0
Podiums	0
Pole positions	0
Fastest laps	0
2012 position	N/A

Tanskanen Racing FC is a Finnish Formula Challenge team competing in the 2013 Formula Challenge season. It is the third team to bear the name Tanskanen Racing, named for former driver Juha Tanskanen, but is the first not to feature Tanskanen himself as a primary driver. It also bares the distinction of being, in effect, a junior team of Vod:Bul Racing and it replaced Vod:Bul's own entry into Formula Challenge just days before the start of the season. The team's current drivers are GPVWC returnees Doug Hilliard, as reserve, and former double-Superleague champion Mikko Jakonen as lead driver; Australian newcomer Ed Williams completes the line-up. Jakonen and Hilliard were previously signed with Vod:Bul to compete in Formula Challenge, along with veteran Dan Rusu; however, Rusu migrated with Vod:Bul up to Supercup, leaving the team without a second driver for the first round; Williams was then brought in before the second round at Malaysia.

History

2013

Mikko Jakonen (front) at the opening round of the 2013 FC season

The team only came into existence, officially, on 24th February, two days before the first race. This was a result of the withdrawal of Allen GP from Supercup, freeing up a slot for a team to move from Formula Challenge. The opportunity was given to Vod:Bul but on the condition that it give up its slot in Formula Challenge. As part of the agreement, the slot was taken over by Juha Tanskanen who was a previous team owner and driver, but moreover had recently joined Vod:Bul as its Head of Driver Development.

The former Vod:Bul FC team was therefore re-branded under the Tanskanen Racing name. Existing drivers Jakonen and Hilliard remained in place, though Hilliard had been expecting to sit out the first round, that was until the departure of Dan Rusu to Vod:Bul's SC team left the seat unoccupied.

Despite the short notice, the team pitched up at the first round with two drivers and a new livery. The two races both resulted in points finishes, far exceeding Tanskanen's own expectations. Jakonen scored twice, despite not competing in GPVWC since the end of the 2005 series and barely having any experience with rFactor. Jakonen finished 13th in race one and 15th in race two, after recovering from early-race damage. Hilliard, who had not raced in rFactor since 2007, had a torrid first race, being rammed on the starting grid, but drove to the end of the race. Hilliard was as high as 12th in race two, though unfortunately came together with Jakonen on the final lap, though both cars continued, with Hilliard finishing just behind his team mate in 16th.

Ed Williams took up the second seat before Malaysia and showed immediate pace, out-qualifying Jakonen to line up 18th on the grid in the first race. However, the sodden Malaysian round would not be kind to the team, with both Williams and Jakonen caught up in the routine start-line calamity. Williams was out on the spot while Jakonen was launched high into the air, but survived and struggled home to 23rd. The second race was little better, with Williams again falling victim to a start-line mess while Jakonen was caught on the wrong tyre, as the second race saw the track uncharacteristically dry. Normal conditions soon swept back in, but too late to save Jakonen's race. Both cars finished this time, with Williams bringing the car home in 23rd, with Jakonen finishing 26th.