Female driver had to pose topless for IndyLights contract

Finnish driver Emma Kimilainen is driving the W Series, a Formula car class for women. Before she drove there, her goal was to reach IndyCar, for which she first had to go through IndyLights. But the team she was in contact with had special condition for her to get the seat.

In 2010 Kimilainen negotiated with a team from the IndyLights class. The Finnish driver who drove with Marcus Ericsson, Valtteri Bottas and Kevin Magnussen for the same team was told along the way what the team demanded of her when she would sign and that had very little to do with racing.

Bizarre condition

The team, which is not mentioned in the interview with the Shikaani podcast, had informed Kimilainen that they had already found a sponsor and that they themselves did not need to bring any sponsors with them. It was supposed to be a 'men's magazine' and the most important condition of the magazine was that Kimilainen would pose for the magazine. At first it would be in a bikini, but later the sponsor came back and wanted Kimilainen to pose topless.

Kimilainen of course turned down the deal when she heard what the conditions were and returned to Europe. After the incident she also decided not to be active in motorsport for four years. "Fortunately, a lot has changed for the better in motor sport. I have never talked about it in public, because I hate drama."

Now, ten years later, she is talking about it and getting support from all over the world.

W Series gets a bigger stage

Since 2019 she has been focusing entirely on the W Series. In that year Kimilainen had to miss the first three races because of health problems, but in the last three she scored a victory and a second place, which gave her fifth place in the standings. The 2020 W Series season was unfortunately cancelled by the coronavirus, but in 2021 it will be one of the supporter series of Formula 1, so will receive extra attention.