Leo Kinnunen: Finland’s Pioneer in International Sports Car Racing and Formula One

Finnish racing driver Leo Kinnunen (1943–2017) was the first Formula One driver from Finland, a successful sports car racer for Porsche, Interserie champion, and noted for wearing an open-face helmet in F1.

Overview

Leo Juhani "Leksa" Kinnunen (5 August 1943 – 26 July 2017) was a Finnish racing driver who became the first person from Finland to start a Formula One race. He rose to prominence in late 1960s and early 1970s sports car competition and is remembered both for his race victories and for being a distinctive presence on the grid.

Racing career and achievements

Kinnunen established himself in regional and international sports car series. He won the Nordic Challenge Cup in 1969 and became a multiple champion in the Interserie, a high-powered sports car championship akin to the North American Can-Am series, taking titles between 1971 and 1973. He also drove for Porsche during a period when the marque won the World Sportscar Championship for manufacturers in 1970, contributing to the team effort in endurance racing.

Nordic Challenge Cup winner (1969).
Interserie champion, early 1970s.
Member of Porsche's sportscar efforts during the 1970 manufacturers' championship.
Entered Formula One competition in 1974.

Formula One and distinctive traits

In 1974 Kinnunen moved into Formula One racing, becoming the first Finnish driver to reach the sport’s premier level. He was also notable for his choice of headgear: he remained the last driver to compete in Formula One using an open-face helmet, a style that had largely been replaced by full-face helmets for safety reasons. His career illustrated the close crossover between sports car endurance racing and single-seater competition in that era.

Legacy and notable facts

Kinnunen is regarded as a pioneer who helped put Finland on the international motorsport map, paving the way for later Finnish World Champions and Grand Prix stalwarts. His success in powerful sports prototypes and in the Interserie showed his adaptability to different types of racing machinery and formats.

Personal life and death

Born in Tampere, Finland, Kinnunen remained a respected figure in Finnish motorsport circles throughout his life. He entered Formula One in 1974 and was remembered for racing with an open-face helmet. He died at his home in Turku on 26 July 2017 from pneumonia, aged 73, leaving a legacy as Finland’s first Formula One competitor and a successful sports car driver.