Jarno Karl Keimo Saarinen (11 December 1945 – 20 May 1973) was a Finnish professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. In the early 1970s, he was considered one of the most promising and talented motorcycle racers of his era until he was killed during the 1973 Nations Grand Prix in Italy. Saarinen's death led to increased demands for better safety conditions for motorcycle racers competing in the world championships. He remains the only Finn to have won a motorcycle road racing world championship. Saarinen was inducted into the F.I.M. MotoGP Hall of Fame in 2009. Motorcycle racing career Jarno Saarinen was born and raised in Turku, South-West Finland. At the age of 15 he worked as apprentice and test-rider for Tunturi-Puch, motorcycle factory in Turku where mopeds and motorcycles were assembled under licence from the Austrian Puch manufacturer. Saarinen made his racing debut in an ice race at Ylone in 1961, finishing in second place. He and his close friend Teuvo Länsivuori participated in ice racing and grasstrack racing as well as road racing. In 1965 Saarinen won the 250cc Finnish ice racing national championship. Saarinen was also an accomplished motorcycle speedway racer. On 4 August 1968 he made his Grand Prix debut at Imatra, riding a 125cc Puch to an 11th place in the Finnish Grand Prix, in which he was lapped three times by world champions Phil Read and Bill Ivy. In 1969 he won the 125cc and 250cc Finnish motorcycle national championships while acting as his own mechanic. Saarinen was noted for his riding style in which he kept his chest just above the motorcycle's fuel tank, and for the way he negotiated curves by shifting his body towards the inside of a turn while extending his knee out. His riding style influenced future world champion, Kenny Roberts, when he witnessed Saarinen during a race at the Ontario Motor Speedway in 1973. Saarinen rode at the Ontario Champion Sparkplugs Classic in 1972, aboard a privately entered ex-works Al Godin Yamaha 350cc. Saarinen was also noted for the peculiar style in which he angled his handlebars in an almost vertical position. Saarinen competed in his first full year in the 1970 250cc championship while continuing to act as his own mechanic. He convinced three bank managers to fund his racing career under the mistaken belief that they were financing his education. He finished the season in fourth place