With a career in top-flight racing stretching back more than two decades, Finland\u2019s Pekka P\u00e4iv\u00e4rinta (ARS Yamaha) is a five-time FIM Sidecar Rider World Champion who in 2024 \u2013 as part of the FIM\u2019s one-hundred-and-twentieth anniversary celebrations \u2013 was officially recognised as an FIM Legend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To give this some context, P\u00e4iv\u00e4rinta shares the rare accolade with just a handful of motorcycle sport\u2019s most famous names including Toni Bou, Valentino Rossi, Stefan Everts and Marc M\u00e1rquez and the fifty-five-year-old is guaranteed to add another medal to his trophy cabinet this season \u2013 although whether it is gold, silver or bronze will not be decided until this coming weekend (2-4 October).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Starting the sixth and deciding round of the 2026 FIM Sidecar World Championship in Oschersleben, Germany, twenty-five-and-a-half points behind series leaders Harrison Payne (ARS Yamaha) and Kevin Rousseau, P\u00e4iv\u00e4rinta and his British passenger Adam Christie are tied for second with Christie\u2019s brothers \u2013 reigning champions Sam and Thomas Christie (LCR Yamaha).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He knows the odds are stacked against him and Payne and Rousseau could seal the title in the opening race, but P\u00e4iv\u00e4rinta will be going for gold in the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf I were to win the world championship again, it would certainly be big news and would prove a lot to me and the fans about all the hard work we\u2019ve put in,\u201d he said. \u201cFor Adam it would be brilliant \u2013 he\u2019s hoping for it and it would also be the best reward for him for all his hard work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
P\u00e4iv\u00e4rinta and Christie\u2019s consistency this season has been key to their success. Out of the ten points-scoring races held so far, they have only missed the podium twice and dominated round two at Grobnik-Rijeka in Croatia where they scored a double win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With such a wealth of experience, it may come as a surprise to some that the Finn is very aware of rising tensions in the lead-up to the Oschersleben showdown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy experience has shown that I always achieve good, consistent results, but I still get just as nervous every time, hoping I\u2019ll succeed and make progress towards my goals.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He is also hinting at retirement at the end of the season \u2013 \u201cthis coming weekend is special because I\u2019m planning to step aside and make way for the younger riders\u201d \u2013 although his love for the sport means this is by no means set in stone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMotorsport has always been a part of my family. I took it up as a hobby when I was young and later it became my job and my success. My passion drives me forward every year and, of course, the paddock is like a second family to me \u2013 I have lots of friends there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If Oschersleben really is to be his swansong, then P\u00e4iv\u00e4rinta is keeping his cool with possibly only two races left in his amazing top-flight career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI always race to win and if I get the chance I\u2019ll give it my all, but the standard is extremely high right now and the other teams are very good because they\u2019re world champions \u2013 let\u2019s see how it all plays out at the final round.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
With a career in top-flight racing stretching back more than two decades, Finland\u2019s Pekka P\u00e4iv\u00e4rinta (ARS Yamaha) is<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16232,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[44],"tags":[311,332],"class_list":["post-16231","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-international","tag-motorsports","tag-sidecar"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t