Emma Kimilainen

Emma Kimiläinen is a Finnish racing driver who has dominated across multiple disciplines—from karting to touring cars to becoming the first female pilot to win back-to-back UIM E1 World Championship titles in electric powerboat racing.

EARLY YEARS

Born July 8, 1989, in Helsinki, Finland, Emma Kimiläinen’s life has revolved around motorsport since she was practically in diapers. Her family introduced her to racing when she was just one year old, and by age five, she was competing in her first race[1]. At seven, she started regularly beating her brother, and by twelve, she was winning pretty much everything she entered[2]. Finland’s karting scene became her playground early on, and the financial burden was manageable because her family shared a kart with another racing family—a clever cost-splitting arrangement that kept everyone on track[3].

She climbed through the karting ranks with a string of impressive results. In her first season of Finnish Formula Ford, she finished fifth while collecting multiple Rookie class wins. The following year, 2006, she tied on points with series champion Sami Isohella but lost the title on countback—finishing as runner-up despite matching the winner’s score[4]. It was the kind of gut-punch that would have ended lesser careers, but Emma kept pushing.

OTHER INTERESTS

Racing isn’t Emma’s only gig. She’s built a career as a radio and television host in Finland, most notably producing “Finland’s Worst Driver” for MTV3[5]. She’s also worked as a predictive driving instructor for the Finnish Road Safety Council[6] and holds a BBA degree that she earned in just a year and a half—while simultaneously working full-time as a sales manager at a major security company[7]. She’s been involved in politics, is interested in theatre, plays piano, and is a passionate conservationist committed to environmental sustainability[8]. In 2025, she became the Campaign Champion for the 4ocean Charitable Foundation[9]. The woman does not sit still.

EARLY SUCCESS

By 2007, eighteen-year-old Emma was an established frontrunner in the Finnish Formula Ford series and had notched race wins in the Swedish Radical European Masters[10]. Her talent caught the attention of Audi Sport, and she became an Audi factory driver—a massive breakthrough for any young racer, let alone a woman in motorsport. But the dream didn’t last. Despite her speed and podium finishes, sponsorship dried up. With no more support from Audi and a lack of personal funds, her single-seater aspirations stalled[11]. She admits she was “a little bit stupid” at that point, focused solely on formula cars when other opportunities existed[12].

Emma took a four-year break from racing. During that time, she had a daughter in 2013[13]. When her daughter was about six months old, she received an email from PWR Racing asking if she’d consider a return. The timing was unexpected, but Emma said yes[14]. She came back to motorsport in 2014, making her debut in the Scandinavian Touring Car Championship (STCC) with a Saab 9-3—becoming the first female driver in the series since 1999[15]. It wasn’t a perfect return; she had a heavy accident in 2016 that aggravated an old neck injury and forced another hiatus[16]. But quitting wasn’t in her vocabulary.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2006: Runner-up in Finnish Formula Ford Championship, tied on points with champion[17].
• 2007: Race winner in Swedish Radical European Masters; Audi Sport factory driver[18].
• 2014: First female driver in STCC since 1999[19].
• 2019: W Series competitor; missed half the season due to injury but returned determined to finish[20].
• 2021: Third place overall in W Series with one win at Assen and five podium finishes[21].
• 2022: Eighth place in W Series with one podium finish[22].
• 2024: UIM E1 World Champion with Team Brady in electric powerboat racing[23].
• 2025: Back-to-back UIM E1 World Champion with Team Brady; first female pilot to win consecutive E1 titles[24].

INSPIRATIONS

Emma has been vocal about her philosophy: “My goal has always been to be the best driver, not the best woman driver”[25]. She doesn’t want to be categorized or limited by gender—she wants to win, period. Motherhood, surprisingly, made her better. After dominating a W Series race at Assen in 2021, she credited becoming a mother with improving her driving, saying it gave her new perspective and focus[26]. She’s also said plainly, “I don’t want to fear things”[27], a mantra that’s guided her through injuries, financial struggles, and career pivots that would have sidelined most people.

REPUTATION

Emma’s reputation is built on resilience and versatility. She’s known as someone who refuses to stay down—whether it’s bouncing back from a career-ending injury, returning to racing as a new mother, or switching from four wheels to flying across water at high speeds in electric powerboats. Her comeback at the Norisring in W Series was described as a return “in style,” with her elite racing background making it clear she was a championship contender[28]. In the E1 Series, she and teammate Sam Coleman have been described as delivering “standout performances,” mastering tight courses and consistently finishing at the front[29]. She’s a sought-after keynote speaker and host for sports events, and she advocates fiercely for equal opportunities for women in racing[30].

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

With back-to-back E1 World Championships under her belt, Emma shows no signs of slowing down. She continues to race for Team Brady in the UIM E1 World Championship and remains a prominent advocate for environmental sustainability through her work with organizations like the 4ocean Charitable Foundation[31]. Her focus remains on being the fastest driver on any given day—regardless of the vehicle, the surface, or the competition.

REFERENCES

[1][3][25] Emma Kimilainen: “My goal has always been to be the best driver…”
[2][27] “I don’t want to fear things”: Meet the defiant Finnish racing driver
[4][5][11] Emma Kimiläinen – Wikipedia
[6] Emma Kimiläinen – Keynote Speaker
[7][14] Meet Emma Kimilainen, Finnish Motorsport’s Leading Lady
[8] Interview with Finnish driver Emma Kimiläinen
[9][31] 4ocean Charitable Foundation – Emma Kimiläinen Campaign Champion
[10][12] Finnish motorsport’s leading lady: The story of Emma Kimilainen
[13] Emma Kimiläinen – Famous Birthdays
[15][19] Emma Kimiläinen first female driver in STCC since 1999
[16][17] Emma Kimiläinen – W Series Wiki
[20] Kimilainen “always” intended to return to W Series after injury
[21][22] Emma Kimilainen races, wins and teams – Motorsport Database
[23] Kimiläinen Marks Two E1 Titles at Finnish Sports Gala
[24] Tom Brady Wins E1 Series World Title at Miami Electric Boat Race
[26] Emma Kimilainen credits motherhood for dominant W Series win
[28] She’s back: Emma Kimilainen returns in style at the Norisring
[29] Team Brady takes at E1 World Championship season opener
[30] Emma Kimiläinen – Breaking Motorsport Barriers