Jesse Eemil Kurki-Suonio (born 3 September 1990), more commonly known as Jesse Krohn, is a Finnish professional racing driver, and BMW Motorsport works driver, currently competing in the IMSA SportsCar Championship for Paul Miller Racing.
Krohn is notable for winning the Finnish, Northern European Zone (NEZ) and Estonian Formula Renault championships. Krohn comes from a motorsport central family, with his father, Pertti, competing in the 1987 Finnish Formula Ford championship alongside 1998 and 1999 Formula One world champion Mika Häkkinen whilst his sister, Jenni, and brother, Oskari also compete in motorsport professionally in Finland.
Personal and early life
Krohn was born in Nurmijärvi, located in the southern Uusimaa region of Finland, during September 1990. His father, Pertti Kurki-Suonio was a racing driver, who competed in the Finnish Formula Ford championship alongside future Formula One drivers Mika Häkkinen and Mika Salo. However, despite finishing behind Salo and Häkkinen in the championship, Pertti's career never went beyond Scandinavia, excluding a one-off appearance at Brands Hatch for the Formula Ford festival.
Krohn's elder sister, Jenni, and younger brother, Oskari, are also both racing drivers both currently racing in their native Finland.
Racing career Krohn began his career in karts when he was six, he spent nine years karting before moving up into car racing in 2005 as a test driver for saloon cars. In 2006, he competed in a number of Formula Ford events in his home country, finishing in eighth, and also competing in the Ford Ford Festival at Brands Hatch, finishing tenth, and also in the British Formula Ford Winter Series, finishing as runner up to Brit David Mayes. Krohn entered the full UK championship the following year as well as the Finnish Formula Three championship, "I was in a '97 Dallara with a H-pattern gearbox" Krohn recalls, "my shoulders were over the cockpit". In the UK championship, Krohn finished the year in 17th with 82 points whilst he had a better time in Finnish Formula Three with six wins and finishing second overall in the championship. He also re-entered the Formula Ford festival as well, performing better than the previous year finishing eighth.
2008 was Krohn's best year yet, with three championship wins in the Finnish, Northern European Zone (NEZ) and Estonian Formula Renault championships, recording ten wins in total. He also competed in the British, Italian and Northern European championships as well, but experiencing little success by comparison. With a number of successes the previous year, Krohn entered the UK Formula Renault championship for the whole season where he has so far tallied 117 points, including a win at Thruxton.
Krohn gained some notoriety during the year as well after climbing up from twenty–fifth to seventh in the wet conditions at Donington Park but soon dropped out of the point after his suspension failed and so had to complete the final three laps on three wheels, "exactly what Jan Magnussen would have done" commented Mark Burdett Motorsport engineer Andy Miller, who ran the Danish driver during his 1994 British Formula 3 campaign.
2014 saw Krohn admitted into the BMW Motorsport Junior Programme in which he trained in for three years, with established works drivers like Dirk Adorf and Jörg Müller. He won the 2017–18 Asian Le Mans Series GT Drivers title with Jun San Chen in the FIST-Team AAI BMW M6 GT3, and was promoted to BMW works driver in 2018.
Racing record
Career summary SeasonSeriesTeamRacesWinsPolesF/LapsPodiumsPointsPosition 2008 Formula Renault 2.0 UK Championship CR Scuderia800005522nd Formula Renault 2.0 Italia RP Motorsport40000234th Formula Renault 2.0 NEC P1 Motorsport200011130th 2009 Formula Renault 2.0 UK Championship Mark Burdett Motorsport2010342776th German Formula Three Championship Stromos Art-Line80000519th European F3 Open Championship RP Motorsport400011017th 2010 Italian Formula Three Championship RP Motorsport141003667th 2011 FIA GT3 European Championship Fischer Racing200021031st Italian Formula Three Championship RP Motorsport20002814th 2012 ADAC GT Masters Lambda Performance1200025812th 2015 European Le Mans Series - LMGTE BMW Sports Trophy Marc VDS51002792nd ADAC GT Masters BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert200001829th2016 IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD Turner Motorsport200005230th ADAC GT Masters Schubert Motorsport1400002826th 24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP910000N/ANC Blancpain GT Series Sprint CupROWE Racing200000NC2016-17 Asian Le Mans Series - GT FIST-Team AAI100001213th2017 IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD Turner Motorsport7100216021st Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup ROWE Racing100000NC Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup80001368th Blancpain GT Series Asia - GT3 FIST-Team AAI400011525th 24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP9 Schubert Motorsport10000N/A11th2017-18 Asian Le Mans Series - GT FIST-Team AAI43004951st2018 IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTLM BMW M Team RLL1100022788th Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup ROWE Racing500001333rd 24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP910000N/ADNF2018-19 FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGTE Pro BMW Team MTEK100001223rd 2019 IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTLM BMW M Team RLL1102022797th 24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP9 ROWE Racing10000N/ADNF2020 IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTLM BMW M Team RLL1110063192nd ADAC GT Masters Schubert Motorsport20000936th2021 IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTLM BMW M Team RLL4010413366th ADAC GT Masters Schubert Motorsport1400031048th 24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP910000N/A6th GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup BMW M Motorsport100000NC 2022 IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD Pro BMW M Team RLL2000160915th ADAC GT Masters Schubert Motorsport1401019116th 24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP910000N/ADNF International GT Open Racing Team Trevor200022016th 2023 GT World Challenge Asia GH-Team AAI20010 12 32th FIST-Team AAI10000 GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup Team WRT100000NC 24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP9 Walkenhorst Motorsport10000N/ADNF 2024 IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTP BMW M Team RLL9100125377th 24 Hours of Le Mans - Hypercar BMW M Team WRT Reserve driver Thailand Super Series - GT3 Team AAI82??61363rd2025 IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD Pro Paul Miller Racing 2 0 0 0 1 568 23rd GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup ROWE Racing 5 1 0 0 2 60 4th Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie - SP9 24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP911001N/A 1stItalian GT Championship Sprint Cup - GT3BMW Italia Ceccato Racing 8 3 0 0 6 1002nd China GT Championship - GT3GAHA Racing 2 0 0 0 1 27 16th2026Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie - SP9KCMG 24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP910000N/ADNFGT World Challenge AsiaTeam KRC24H Series - GT3Gamota Racing100002432ndGT World Challenge America - Pro-AmRiley Technologies
Complete Formula Renault 2.0 NEC results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 DC Points2008P1 Motorsport HOC1 HOC2 ZAN1ZAN2 ALA1 ALA2 OSC1 OSC2 ASS1 ASS2 ZOL1 ZOL2 NÜR1 NÜR2 SPA1 SPA2 30th 11
Complete ADAC GT Masters results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Pos. Points 2012 Lambda Performance Ford GT GT3OSC1OSC2ZAN1ZAN2SAC1SAC2NÜR1NÜR2RBR1RBR2LAU1LAU2NÜR1NÜR2HOC1HOC2 12th 58 2015 BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert BMW Z4 GT3OSC1OSC2RBR1RBR2SPA1SPA2LAU1LAU2NÜR1NÜR2SAC1SAC2ZAN1ZAN2HOC1HOC2 29th 18 2016 Schubert Motorsport BMW M6 GT3 OSC1 OSC2 SAC1 SAC2 LAU1 LAU2 RBR1 RBR2 NÜR1 NÜR2 ZAN1 ZAN2 HOC1 HOC2 26th 282020Schubert MotorsportBMW M6 GT3 LAU1 LAU2 NÜR1 NÜR2 HOC1 HOC2 SAC1 SAC2 RBR1 RBR2 LAU1 LAU2 OSC1 OSC2 36th 9 2021 Schubert Motorsport BMW M6 GT3 OSC1 OSC2 RBR1 RBR2 ZAN1 ZAN2 LAU1 LAU2 SAC1 SAC2 HOC1 HOC2 NÜR1 NÜR2 8th 104 2022 Schubert Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 OSC1 OSC2 RBR1 RBR2 ZAN1 ZAN2 NÜR1 NÜR2 LAU1 LAU2 SAC1 SAC2 HOC1 HOC2 16th 91
Complete European Le Mans Series results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap) YearTeamMakeEngineClass12345RankPoints2015BMW Sports Trophy Marc VDSBMW Z4 GTEBMW 4.4 L V8LMGTE SIL IMO RBR LEC EST 2nd 79Source:
Complete IMSA SportsCar Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Team Make Engine Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Rank PointsRef 2016 Turner Motorsport GTD BMW M6 GT3 BMW S63 4.4 L Twin-turbo V8 DAY SEB LGA BEL WGL MOS LIM ELK VIR AUS PET 30th 52 2017 Turner Motorsport GTD BMW M6 GT3 BMW S63 4.4 L Twin-turbo V8 DAY SEB LBH AUS DET WGL MOS LIM ELK VIR LGA PET 21st 160 2018 BMW Team RLL GTLM BMW M8 GTE BMW P63 4.0 L Twin-turbo V8 DAY SEB LBH MDO WGL MOS LIM ELK VIR LGA PET 8th 278 2019 BMW Team RLL GTLM BMW M8 GTE BMW P63 4.0 L Twin-turbo V8 DAY SEB LBH MDO WGL MOS LIM ELK VIR LGA PET 7th 279 2020 BMW Team RLL GTLM BMW M8 GTE BMW P63 4.0 L Twin-turbo V8 DAY DAY SEB ELK VIR ATL MDO CLT PET LGA SEB 2nd 319 2021 BMW Team RLL GTLM BMW M8 GTE BMW P63 4.0 L Twin-turbo V8 DAY SEB DET WGL WGL LIM ELK LGA LBH VIR PET 6th 1336 2022 BMW M Team RLL GTD Pro BMW M4 GT3 BMW P58 3.0 L Twin-turbo I6 DAY SEB LBH LGA WGL MOS LIM ELK VIR PET 15th 609 2024 BMW M Team RLL GTP BMW M Hybrid V8 BMW P66/3 4.0 L Turbo V8 DAY SEB LBH LGA DET WGL ELK IMS PET 7th 2537 2025 Paul Miller Racing GTD Pro BMW M4 GT3 Evo BMW P58 3.0 L Twin-turbo I6 DAY SEB LGA DET WGL MOS ELK VIR IMS PET 23rd 568Source: * Season still in progress.
Complete 24 Hours of Nürburgring results Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps 2016 Schubert Motorsport Augusto Farfus Jörg Müller Marco Wittmann BMW M6 GT3 SP9 60 NC NC 2017 Schubert Motorsport Jörg Müller Bruno Spengler Kuno Wittmer BMW M6 GT3 SP9 157 11th 11th 2018 Rowe Racing Connor De Phillippi Alexander Sims Martin Tomczyk BMW M6 GT3 SP9 16 DNF DNF 2019 Rowe Racing Nicky Catsburg John Edwards Marco Wittmann BMW M6 GT3 SP9 8 DNF DNF2021 Schubert Motorsport Stef Dusseldorp Jens Klingmann Alexander Sims BMW M6 GT3 SP9 59 6th 6th2022 Schubert Motorsport Jens Klingmann Niklas Krütten Alexander SimsBMW M4 GT3 SP9 153 DNF DNF2023 Walkenhorst Motorsport Kuba Giermaziak Christian Krognes Andy SoucekBMW M4 GT3 SP9 39 DNF DNF2025 Rowe Racing Augusto Farfus Kelvin van der Linde Raffaele MarcielloBMW M4 GT3 Evo SP9 141 1st 1st2026 KCMG Nirei Fukuzumi Naoya Gamou David PittardMercedes-AMG GT3 Evo SP9 15 DNF DNF
Complete GT World Challenge Europe results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap) GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup YearTeamCarClass12345678910Pos.Points 2016 Rowe Racing BMW M6 GT3 Pro MISQR MISCR BRHQR BRHCR NÜRQR NÜRCR HUNQR HUNCR CATQR CATCR NC 0 2017 Rowe Racing BMW M6 GT3 Pro MISQR MISCR BRHQR BRHCR ZOLQR ZOLCR HUNQR HUNCR NÜRQR NÜRCR 8th 36
GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Pos. Points 2017 Rowe Racing BMW M6 GT3 ProMNZSILLEC SPA6H SPA12H SPA24HCAT27th6 2018 Rowe Racing BMW M6 GT3 Pro MNZ SIL LEC SPA6H SPA12H SPA24H CAT 33rd 132021BMW M MotorsportBMW M4 GT3INVMNZLECSPA6HSPA12HSPA24HNUR CATNC0 2023 Team WRT BMW M4 GT3 Bronze MNZ LEC SPA6H SPA12H SPA24H NÜR CAT 30th 62025Rowe RacingBMW M4 GT3 EvoPro LEC MNZ SPA6H SPA12H SPA24H NÜR CAT 4th 60
Complete Asian Le Mans Series results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap) YearTeamMakeEngineClass1234RankPoints2016-17FIST-Team AAIBMW M6 GT3BMW 4.4 L V8GTZHUFUJBURSEP 13th 122017-18FIST-Team AAIBMW M6 GT3BMW 4.4 L V8GTZHUFUJBURSEP1st95Source:
Complete FIA World Endurance Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Entrant Class Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Rank Points 2018–19 BMW Team MTEK LMGTE Pro BMW M8 GTE BMW P63 4.0 L Turbo V8 SPA LMS SIL FUJ SHA SEB SPA LMS 23rd 12Sources:
Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results