Sami-Matti Trogen makes come back to Formula cars
Sami-Matti Trogen makes come back to formula cars after over a one year break. Trogen will attend Ahvenisto race round of Formula Academy Finland, the Finnish national F4 series. One of the most difficult circuits in the Europe is already familiar to Trogen from 2017 season, when he got pole position and ended second in the race. After a long break 17-year-old driver from Lohja city is excited about the upcoming race weekend at his favourite circuit.
Trogen competed in the F4-series in the North European Zone in 2017. On the same year he competed also in Spanish F4. Best memories he got from Ahvenisto race circuit, where he was the youngest competitor in the series and he surprised even himself by taking a pole position for the race and eventually ended up second.
- The feeling was amazing after realising what I had done. During the race I was so concentrated on the driving that I didn’t think of my position, but when I stepped to the podium, I couldn’t stop smiling, said Trogen in June 2017.
An idea of the comeback to formula cars came when Mika Trogen, Sami-Matti Trogen’s dad contacted the promoter of Formula Academy Finland, Marko Koiranen.
- Sami-Matti has often asked if he could compete again with F4 car. We have been in contact with Marko Koiranen regularly even though Sami-Matti has been competing in Rallycross. I mentioned this idea to Koiranen and things started happen quickly. After everything was confirmed, Sami-Matti was still in the airplane on his way back home from Silverstone round of RX2. I sent him that “You will drive in Ahvenisto with F4 car”, and Sami-Matti replied with his usual style “Ok, Ahvenisto it is then”, laughs dad Trogen.
Manager Jussi Pinomäki gave also green light for the plan, and budget-wisely LVI-säätö M. Kanninen supported the project strongly. After everything was clear, Trogen was able to go to his first test for a long time. After first session Trogen came back to the paddock smiling.
- So great to be back on a wheel of formula car, Trogen said as his first words.
After his heart rate calmed down, Trogen told more about the driving.
- It’s great to make come back at Ahvenisto. We will now have few tests, trying to get rid of the rallycross dust after Silverstone. I’m not sure yet if there will be more competing with formula cars this season as at the moment I concentrate on Rallycross, but you never know. Decisions regarding formula cars should be made soon if we want to work more on that project. Budget for formula is difficult at the moment, and of course the future of World Rallycross Championship will play a big role in my future career planning. Let’s also see what racing professional Marko Koiranen says about my driving, Trogen ends.
Ahvenisto race weekend will be driven on 8th and 9th of June with Finnish National Racing Championship.
Timetable of Ahvenisto:
Sat
10:20 Qualifying
15:35 Race 1
Sun
13:40 Race 2