Jere Rantaniemi doubles up with second consecutive FIA European Pro Mod title
After winning his first FIA European Pro Modified Championship in 2024, Jere Rantaniemi did it all over again this season to claim his second consecutive title in the most international and largest class of the FIA European Drag Racing Championship. After a yearlong battle with Marck Harteveld, the Finn finished on top and with two race wins out of four races, it was a well-deserved title. Time to look back with the champion on a tough but also great season.
In 2024 Jere Rantaniemi was the first driver from Finland and the first driver with a turbo powered car to win the FIA European Pro Modified Championship. In that first championship winning year, the title race went down to the wire and was decided at the European Finals. This season it was tough again and once again Santa Pod Raceway was the track where the title race had a thrilling finish.
Being the defending FIA European Pro Modified champion, Rantaniemi’s season didn’t start in the way he wanted. At The Main Event the Finn qualified seventh in the 16-car field and was defeated in the quarterfinals by his main rival from 2024, David Vegter. Because rain brought an early end to the event, Rantaniemi didn’t lose too many points. At Tierp Arena Rantaniemi bounced back and got his revenge with an almost perfect weekend. With a 5.87-second ET Rantaniemi claimed the number one qualifying position, to win the Summit Racing Equipment Internationals with a string of 5.8-second runs. The at Tierp Arena unbeatable Finn raised to the number one position in the championship at the halfway point of the season, but was only one point ahead of Marck Harteveld. Hockenheim was a more difficult weekend, but still Rantaniemi advanced to the final where he was defeated by Harteveld. With the European Finals to go, Rantaniemi was the number two in the championship, 16 points short of the Dutch Voodoo Hemi Racing driver. When Harteveld had an early exit in the Euro Finals quarterfinals, Rantaniemi had to win his quarterfinal against Vegter to gain the points he needed to claim the title. Rantaniemi did what he had to do, won the run, the semifinal and final to celebrate his second consecutive title in style with a race win at the European Finals. Two wins and one runner-up position, it’s hard to deny that Rantaniemi deserved the 2025 title.
This was your second consecutive FIA European Pro Mod title. How do you look back at last season?
I see the last season as a big success. We reset our own records and every time we did that, it was also a new Finnish record. We were the first turbo champion, the first non-Swedish champion, the first Finnish Pro Mod champion and we did all this again this year. It feels good.
Did you expect (before the start of the season) that it would be possible to claim another title?
Not at all. I knew that all the competitors, like Michel (Tooren), Marck (Harteveld), Andres (Arnover), David (Vegter) and everyone else would do their very best.
Which title feels better, the one in 2024 or 2025? And which one was tougher to win?
The first one is and will always be the first, but this second championship definitely felt better.
When did you realize during the season that it was possible to claim the 2025 title?
After Hockenheim. David was in trouble there on Sunday morning and Andres and Michel were out before the final. We were 16 points behind Marck after Hockenheim. There we calculated what the round difference would be at the Santa Pod Finals if we didn’t win all the four qualifying rounds in the Euro Finals qualifying.
What was your best race?
Definitely Tierp Arena. We were the fastest in three of the four qualifying rounds and the number one qualifier. The eliminations didn’t start as we wanted, even though we won, as there were problems with the starting lights. The final against Marck Voodoo Hemi was great. A short warm-up after the rain break, the long waiting in pre stage and stage, and the win with a good ET. After that it was time for a good pits party.
What was the most important race for winning the title?
All were important victories, of course. Otherwise we wouldn’t be here. You have to do the full FIA tour as there are only four races.
Most proud of in 2025?
I am definitely proud of our entire team. Especially about my boy Heka. He has grown into one of the hardest workers in the entire pits. Five full engine overhauls this summer in the pits, three gearbox maintenances etc.
Toughest moment of the season?
Santa Pod Euro Finals, the second round against David Vegter. The round the championship depended on. When I went to the starting line, I didn’t know the result of the race between Marck and Andy. We don’t use radios. I just focused on my own work. When we defeated David, it was already a reason for celebration as we would be in the next round and still in the championship fight. When I heard at the end of the strip that Andy won against Marck, I was speechless.
Toughest competitors in 2025?
Of course Marck, but everyone in FIA Pro Mod is a tough opponent. You are nothing until you cross the finish line and the victory light flashes on. You are just as good as your last run was.
People/companies you want to thank?
I want to thank all my supporters, without you, we wouldn’t be there. Companies who invest financially in our dream, individuals who proudly wear our team shirts, partners who make it possible to do the whole tour, like Mr Brad Personet, Mr Sami Hanhisuanto, Mr Hemiva, Mr Kivityö, Scania Teemu Karjalainen, TH-Matic Tapio Haaksi, SMCF Ry, Hauser Race Cars, Daniel Engberg, JST Service, Pohjola Logistics Oy, the PPF crew, ProLineRacing, Precision turbo, Fueltech, Coan, we will always be in their debt. They, and especially AA, helped us to get started in the world of 5-second racing in 2019, and many others. You can always find the whole list in the new Pick-Nick magazine. But also race organizers and volunteers who make the events possible. And don’t forget the track crews, especially Santa Pod, they are awesome. But also all the spectators at all tracks, it is extremely nice to see and meet so many enthusiastic people.
Plan for next season?
At this moment, the plan for next year is to do the whole FIA tour. Is it necessary to defend the double championship? It does, however, it requires companies that support us and join us in the 2026 season. With the current situation in the world, it is extremely hard. Drag racing does not get visibility in the media in our country. Our first championship was not taken much in account. We tried to highlight this second one by the Finnish Information Agency, but with little success. It’s hard to justify to partners why they go along. Back in the days, when Alastaro was still being raced on in Finland, it was easy for us to organize VIP events for European Championship races. Now, the first thing they have to do, is to arrange a ship or plane abroad, and that takes much more time.
Anything else you want to tell in the article.
Success requires good starting points. And by this I mean everyday life where you leave for the race and come back. Fortunately, I have had a good team behind me to go around Europe. My girlfriend Mira has taken care of the truck’s basic supplies for weeks of the trips. The employers of all team members have been very understanding of the need for extra holidays, thanks to them. Thanks to my own employees, who have made it possible for me to have extra holidays. Success requires not only these and money, but also a working network of spare parts and supplies, machinery and everything. The drag race family is great and in the pits they help each other a lot, nowadays even social media spread these networks. Don’t be a jerk to others, Karma will come.
Text and photos: Remco Scheelings
