After learning his craft in karting, Annala stepped into car racing in 2004 by competing simultaneously in three Formula Ford championships — Swedish, Finnish, and Nordic. He demonstrated immediate pace, winning the Nordic Formula Ford championship outright and finishing as runner-up in both the Swedish and Finnish titles in the same season. The multi-championship campaign gave him unusually broad exposure to different tracks and competitive fields within a single year.
In 2005, Annala joined the British Formula Three Championship, competing in the national class with Alan Docking Racing. Over the course of the season he scored three podium finishes and ended the year sixth in the national class standings, establishing himself as a consistent frontrunner without yet challenging for the title.
His second year in British Formula Three, 2006, brought sharper results. Having switched to Performance Racing Europe, Annala converted his pace into victories, taking three wins and three pole positions during the campaign. His improved performances lifted him to third in the championship standings — a significant step forward that underlined his development as a single-seater racer.
For 2007, Annala moved to the International Formula Master series, a pan-European championship that served as a bridge between junior Formula Three and higher international categories. He drove for Jenzer Motorsport and finished the season eleventh in overall points. His highlight was a runner-up finish at the Brno circuit in the Czech Republic, a result that showed he remained capable of challenging for podiums at the front of the field.
Annala's most prominent single-event appearance came in 2008 when he entered the Grand Prix of Long Beach for Rocketsports Racing. The Long Beach race that year carried special historical significance as the final Champ Car World Series race before the series merged with the Indy Racing League. Annala qualified last on the grid and was eliminated from contention after 42 laps due to mechanical failure, ending his Champ Car experience without the chance to show his full potential on the iconic street circuit.
Later in 2008, Annala made two starts in the Finnish Super Touring Championship, rounding out a season that had taken him from the streets of California to domestic Finnish competition.
Annala's career reflects the path taken by many Northern European drivers in the mid-2000s, building through the Formula Ford feeder pyramid and British Formula Three before seeking opportunities in both European and North American series. His three-win season in British F3 in 2006 and his presence at the final Champ Car race remain the defining landmarks of his competitive record.