Konsta Lappalainen

Konsta Johannes Lappalainen (born 11 August 2001) is a Finnish racing driver who currently competes in the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup for Emil Frey Racing.

Lappalainen is the 2018 SMP F4 champion and an ADAC GT Masters race winner.

Early career

Karting Born and raised in Espoo, Lappalainen started his karting career in 2012. His best result was winning the Finnish Karting Championship in the OK class in 2016.

Lower formulae In 2016, Lappalainen made his single-seater racing debut with part-time appearances in the F4 Spanish Championship. He finished all races in the top ten, however due to him being a guest driver, Lappalainen didn't score any points.

The next year, Lappalainen continued racing in Spain, whilst also driving in SMP F4. He struggled in both series however, finishing 15th and 13th in the respective championships.

In 2018, Lappalainen continued in the SMP F4 Championship. He won seven races and scored fifteen podiums, winning the championship 41 points ahead of Michael Belov.

Formula Regional European Championship In 2019, KIC Motorsport announced that Lappalainen would drive for them in the inaugural season of the Formula Regional European Championship alongside Isac Blomqvist. He finished third at the Red Bull Ring, the only podium of his season, and ended the season in 11th in the standings.

Lappalainen would continue driving for KIC in 2020. His season would be much more successful, as he scored two podiums and finished sixth in the drivers' championship, although Lappalainen was beaten by his teammate Patrik Pasma.

Sportscar career In 2021, Lappalainen would move across to sportscar racing, driving for Emil Frey Racing in both the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance and Sprint cups. Partnering Jack Aitken and Arthur Rougier in the former, the trio would fail to score in the opening three rounds; this negative streak being compounded by a crash which injured Aitken at the 24 Hours of Spa. At the final two races however, the team were able to take a pair of top-six finishes, leading Lappalainen to finish 16th in the standings.

The following year, a return to Emil Frey in the Silver Cup class of the GTWC Europe Endurance Cup was coupled with a full-time campaign in the ADAC GT Masters, in which Lappalainen would be joined by Mick Wishofer. Lappalainen's campaign in GT Masters yielded little success, as he and Wishofer ended up 17th overall, though the pair managed to take victory at Zandvoort, where a pole position and charging first stint by Wishofer gave Lappalainen to take over the car in first position, leading to an uninterrupted run towards the checkered flag. In the Endurance Cup, Lappalainen managed to finish on the podium of his class at the 24 Hours of Spa, before taking the team's only class win at the Hockenheimring. Another podium at the season finale in Barcelona earned the team third place in the Silver Cup championship.

Remaining with Emil Frey for a third successive season in 2023, Lappalainen would concentrate his efforts to compete in the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup alongside Giacomo Altoè, driving the new Ferrari 296 GT3. After a pointless round in Germany the pair went on to finish inside the top-ten in all remaining races, thus ending up seventh in the standings. Lappalainen went into the 2024 season with Emil Frey once more, this time together with Ben Green.

Karting record

Karting career summary SeasonSeriesTeamPosition 2012 Finnish KF6 Challenge 9th 2013 Rotax Max Challenge Finland - Junior 16th Andrea Margutti Trophy - 60 Mini 20th 2014 Finnish Championship - KF Junior 10th CIK-FIA Karting European Championship - KF Junior Ward Racing 32nd 2015 WSK Champions Cup - KF Junior 23rd 20° South Garda Winter Cup - KF Junior Ward Racing 18th CIK-FIA Karting World Championship - KF Junior 22nd WSK Super Master Series - KF Junior 41st CIK-FIA Karting European Championship - KF Junior 30th WSK Final Cup - KF Junior 28th Trofeo delle Industrie - KF Junior 8th Finnish Cup Championship - KF Junior 4th 2016 WSK Champions Cup - OK Ward Racing 14th CIK-FIA Karting World Championship - OK 23rd WSK Super Master Series - OK 18th CIK-FIA Karting European Championship - OK 21st Finnish Championship - OK1st

Racing record

Racing career summary † As Lappalainen was a guest driver, he was ineligible for championship points. Season still in progress.

Complete F4 Spanish Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

† As Lappalainen was a guest driver, he was ineligible for points

Complete Formula STCC Nordic results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Complete SMP F4 Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Pos Points 2017 SMP Racing SOC1 SOC2 SOC3 SMO1 SMO2 SMO3 AHV1 AHV2 AHV3 AUD1 AUD2 AUD3 MSC11 MSC12 MSC13 MSC21 MSC22 MSC23 ASS1 ASS2 ASS3 15th 16 2018 Kart In Club Driving Academy SMO1 SMO2 SMO3 NRG1 NRG2 NRG3 MSC1 MSC2 MSC3 ADM1 ADM2 ADM3 AHV1 AHV2 AHV3 ALA1 ALA2 ALA3 ASS1 ASS2 ASS3 1st 316

Complete ADAC Formula 4 Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Complete Formula Regional European Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 DC Points 2019 KIC Motorsport LEC1 LEC2 LEC3 VLL1 VLL2 VLL3 HUN1 HUN2 HUN3 RBR1 RBR2 RBR3 IMO1 IMO2 IMO3 IMO4 CAT1 CAT2 CAT3 MUG1 MUG2 MUG3 MNZ1 MNZ2 MNZ3 11th 56 2020 KIC Motorsport MIS1 MIS2 MIS3 LEC1 LEC2 LEC3 RBR1 RBR2 RBR3 MUG1 MUG2 MUG3 MNZ1 MNZ2 MNZ3 CAT1 CAT2 CAT3 IMO1 IMO2 IMO3 VLL1 VLL2 VLL3 6th 140 2021 KIC Motorsport IMO1 IMO2 CAT1 CAT2 MCO1 MCO2 LEC1 LEC2 ZAN1 ZAN2 SPA1 SPA2 RBR1 RBR2 VAL1 VAL2 MUG1 MUG2 MNZ1 MNZ2 NC† 0 2023 KIC Motorsport IMO1 IMO2 CAT1 CAT2 HUN1 HUN2 SPA1 SPA2 MUG1 MUG2 LEC1 LEC2 RBR1 RBR2 MNZ1 MNZ2 ZAN1 ZAN2 HOC1 HOC2 36th 0 † As Lappalainen was a guest driver, he was ineligible to score points.

Complete GT World Challenge Europe results GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Pos. Points 2021 Emil Frey Racing Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo Pro MAG1 MAG2 ZAN1 ZAN2 MIS1 MIS2 15th 20.5 Silver BRH1 BRH2 VAL1 VAL 2 14th 18.5 2023 Emil Frey Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 Pro BRH1 BRH2 MIS1 MIS2 HOC1 HOC2 VAL1 VAL2 ZAN1 ZAN2 7th 41 2024 Emil Frey Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 Pro BRH1 BRH2 MIS1 MIS2 HOC1 HOC2 MAG1 MAG2 CAT1 CAT2 3rd 62.5 2025 Emil Frey Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 Pro BRH1 BRH2 ZAN1 ZAN2 MIS1 MIS2 MAG1 MAG2 VAL1 VAL2 9th 18.5 2026 Emil Frey Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo Pro BRH1 BRH2 MIS1 MIS2 MAG1 MAG2 ZAN1 ZAN2 CAT1 CAT2 17th* 7* Season still in progress.

GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Complete ADAC GT Masters results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 DC Points 2022 Emil Frey Racing Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo OSC1 OSC2 RBR1 RBR2 ZAN1 ZAN2 NÜR1 NÜR2 LAU1 LAU2 SAC1 SAC2 HOC1 HOC2 17th 83

Complete British GT Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position in class) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap in class) Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 DC Points 2023 7TSIX Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo GT3 OUL1 OUL2 SIL1 DON1 SNE1 SNE2 ALG1 BRH1 DON1 NC† 0† † As Lappalainen was a guest driver, he was ineligible for points.