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Valle Mäkelä joins GR Asia

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Valle Mäkelä from Finland has joined Tom Coronel at the GR Asia team and will drive the team’s second SEAT Toledo Cupra car. Mäkelä, who is only 19-years old, will be the youngest driver in the FIA World Touring Car Championship. Young, but not unexperienced, as he started his racing career when he was four!

During his karting years Mäkelä was crowned 2000 Finnish Junior champion and finished runner up in the Formula A Finnish and Baltic Championships the year after.

In 2002, at the age of 16, he moved to car racing and immediately claimed the Finnish Formula Ford crown, finishing second in the Nordic Championship. Since 2003 he has moved to UK for competing in the British Formula Ford. Third classified – with one race win – on his maiden season, he was crowned British champion last year with a series of nine race wins. “I’m really excited to race in the World Touring Car Championship,” he commented. “I’m a rookie, but also a quick learner. And having an experienced driver like Tom Coronel by my side will be a great help.”