Rico Salmela, 17, is aiming for a really tough club – so much one season costs

Rico Salmela17, is a Finnish track motorcyclist. Currently, he runs the juniorgp series and is the second of the 17-point Spanish in the World Championship Brian’s Uriaarten double cloth.

The situation is at least fascinating, as the Finn has a full chance of grabbing the victory in the series in their own names. The victory, in turn, would be a tough currency to realize Salmela’s dream, the driver’s seat in the adult Moto3 class.

“It’s the goal, but I want to focus on this season,” says Salmela.

The series requires adulthood and Salmela will be 18 years old next February.

In a season of 12 races

At the time of the interview, Salmela has just arrived from a race trip in Spain and there are only a few sleep hours behind. In Spain, Salmela finished third and fourth in the two races on the Aragón track. Although the investments scored good points for the World Series, the Finn was not completely satisfied with his grip. The win would have been to be taken.

– A couple of their own mocks had to be done. The Toka race went to the tactics and the first felt like there would have been more to be given, says Salmela.

-It is annoying because you always want to win, the 17-year-old driver continues.

This is Salmela’s second season in the Junior GP series. He has finished fourth at his worst this season. So the Finn has been painful to the podium in almost every season competition.

The competitions will continue after the summer break on the Italian Emilia-Romagna track in late September.

On the back of the moped at the age of 2

The young driver has accumulated driving meters from a very early age. He jumped on the back of the moped even when other people of the same age were still practicing walking.

-Dad sometimes took me to a cross-line at 2 years old. Sometimes at the age of 4 I drove for the first time on asphalt.

– I wanted a moped back and Dad said you could get when you can drive without auxiliary bikes. Those wheels disappeared the same day, Salmela recalls.

The first foreign competition was ahead at the age of 7. So it’s been 10 years behind the races along Europe.

Because Salmela is a minor, the trips must be a caregiver on the way. Father’s daddy goes on a race trip Tero Salmela.

– Actually, everything I do goes according to what I do alongside this. Whenever we are in Finland, we work. Somewhere in between, I also try to relax, Dad describes the lifestyle.

When his father noticed his son’s burning motivation for the sport, the rest of life has given way to motor sports.

– It’s been weighing this job over the years. But if the boy wants to do this seriously, I guess I do everything myself. For the first six years, we slept, for example, in a van container.

School alongside a career

Currently, my own career is undoubtedly the number one priority in Salmela in life. About half of the year is spent on the trip while racing. During weeks spent in Finland, Salmela works out six times a week and often accommodates up to two exercises.

The variety is diverse for a young athlete. Weekends are spent on driveways and every weekday training includes running, gym, Brazilian jujutsu and freelance training. Salmela plans for her workout program herself.

Even at school, a young man goes every time he is not around the world.

– I’m in an electrical school in a vocational school. The school is underway. With these travel volumes, I have still done well with absences, says Salmela.

By sponsors

Salmela’s manager is the big name of Finnish track motorcycling Aki Driving. He is responsible for Salmela’s driver’s contracts so that the driver can focus on driving himself. Father Tero Salmela is responsible for practical arrangements, such as booking hotels and flights.

Motor sports are expensive and it would not be possible to do without sponsors.

– We have a core group supporters who allow this to do this, says Tero Salmela.

“It wouldn’t be possible to do this alone, so big sums are said,” he continues.

At a year, hundreds of thousands of euros spend money.

-This juniorgp series doesn’t really survive for $ 100,000. Over 200,000 euros goes to the season, Tero Salmela says.

In junior classes, the prize trip is not overwhelming.

– There are little bonuses almost everywhere, but of course the biggest podium.

– Good if you get to the ton side. In the upper series, bigger money also spins.

If the dream of the Moto3 class is realized, then the spending of money will also be reduced and the job will become more economically profitable.

“Then the money stops,” says Father Salmela.

Hazardous species

Last season, several competitions in Salmela ended with interruption. Most of these were due to the racing buddy’s bike hit Salmela’s rear wheel and thus out.

– It was a very educational season. This current one has gone much better.

The sport is accustomed to seeing wild situations. So far, the Finn has avoided more serious injuries.

– Once when I crashed. For a moment I was lying on the ground and went to the hospital for a night, but there was nothing bigger.

Although there have already been numerous starts in the career, Salmela says the excitement always strikes when she sets off.

– That’s it. The more you do this job, the more credit for your own work. Yes, it still makes you exciting.