SET Promotion to field ‘Flying Finns’ in Euro RX1 return

Jointly founded and led by brothers Jussi and Kalle Pinomäki, SET Promotion has tallied no fewer than 11 Euro RX titles over the course of its illustrious history in the dual-surface discipline – including a trio of championship trophies in the top-tier in 2018, 2022 and 2023.

Since clinching the last of those crowns, the Finnish outfit has made just a single appearance in the series’ headlining division – joining forces with JC Raceteknik to run rising star Lukas Andersson to a superb second place on his Euro RX debut in Sweden last summer – but now, it is gearing up for a full-time comeback.

Rytkönen burst onto the international scene back in 2020, stunning on his maiden the FIA World Rallycross Championship outing with the GRX-SET squad on home soil at Kouvola, where he finished runner-up to only Johan Kristoffersson. The following season, he contested five further rounds, prior to finishing second again on his Euro RX1 bow at Spa-Francorchamps in 2022.

In 2024, the 34-year-old made an even bigger impression as he challenged stablemate Steven Bossard for glory in the French Rallycross Championship’s top-flight and sensationally got the better of Kristoffersson to register his maiden World RX triumph in Türkiye. Last year, Rytkönen progressed to the final in the World Championship three times out of four.

“I’m very excited and grateful to be part of the SET Promotion team this season,” enthused the Suonenjoki native, who will head into battle behind the wheel of a Hyundai i20 RX – a model of car with which he has already achieved considerable success. “SET is a truly professional outfit with vast experience in international series. When this team says something will happen, you know it will be done. We are going into 2026 taking this very seriously, and in good spirits.”

If Rytkönen is the experienced hand, then compatriot Turpeinen is the young gun climbing the motorsport ladder. The teenage talent fought Andersson nip-and-tuck at Höljes’ last summer, and went on to test his mettle at the pinnacle of World RX in Istanbul, turning heads as one of only two Euro RX1 ‘wild cards’ to reach the final in the mixed field. The 17-year-old will race a Ford Fiesta RX originally built by M-Sport – the same car that his new team-mate piloted in 2021.

“The level in Euro RX is tougher than it has been for a long time,” Turpeinen acknowledged. “Of course, I’m aiming to be in the final in as many rounds as possible, but during the pre-season test in Latvia, we’ll see where my pace is.

“When looking at the opposition, it doesn’t matter to me that others are much more experienced than I am – I don’t need to bow down to anyone, and in the end we are all just drivers inside cars. SET Promotion is full of professionals and it’s nice to know we go into this challenge with a team that has experience in all kinds of situations. I can’t wait to start the season!” 

The 2026 Euro RX campaign is widely expected to be one of the most competitive for years, and will visit a number of iconic rallycross venues. Underscoring its commitment to the championship, in addition to the programme announced today and its entry in Euro RX4, SET Promotion is also involved in the technical operations of former champion Andreas Bakkerud’s Bergen Motorsport Evolution effort.

“Rallycross is returning to its roots this year, but we are still on the verge of something new,” mused Team Principal, Jussi Pinomäki. “The level of demands on drivers and teams will be really tough if they want to compete for the championship, that’s for sure.

“Juha has always had good raw speed and he is able to drive for race wins. It is more about creating a good operating environment for him, which will give him the right space to deliver. For Joni, we’re working to build a long-term plan for his career to develop as a driver. There is no shortcut and it will be a rollercoaster, but that’s part of the growth process. He is obviously very fast and we are excited to be working with him alongside Juha, Andreas and Albert. 

“It’s going to be very competitive and I’m really looking forward to seeing how things turn out. It’s also a pleasure for me to keep so many of our core team together for another season – it’s the people that make this special.”

Following the curtain-raising contest at the historic Biķernieku trase in the Latvian capital of Rīga on 9-10 May, competitors will proceed to lock horns at Nyirád in Hungary (30-31 May), Höljes in Sweden (4-5 July), Mondello Park in Ireland (18-19 July), Lohéac in France (29-30 August) and finally Lousada in Portugal, where rallycross’ European champions will be crowned on 12-13 September.