Sky Sports F1 reporter Natalie Pinkham has revealed that former Formula 1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone stepped in to stick up for her when a photographer tried to publish a photo up her skirt.
During an appearance on the Amanda Wakeley Style DNA podcast, Pinkham discussed how she found out the hard way that skirts were not a good idea in the windy pitlane. Unfortunately for the Briton, a photographer caught the moment her skirt blew up in the wind, and the photo was set to go to print in The Sun before Ecclestone stepped in.
"You've got to be comfortable in the pitlane, it's got to be practical but you also show a bit of your own sense of style. So, you know, I love waistcoats with wider trousers. I love that, but I know some people don't, a lot of men don't, but we don't dress for men. 'Get your pins out,' like, no thanks!
"Very windy. As I found out in South Korea back in the day," Pinkham explained when asked to clarify if it is windy in the pitlane and at the track in general.
"With your skirt above your head?" Wakeley asked.
"Yes! You know what, this is a great story about Bernie Ecclestone, because I didn’t know this picture was out there, but basically there was a gust of wind, a snapper got the shot, and I found out about it when it was about to go in The Sun. I told Bernie Ecclestone about this, and he phoned the cameraman - the photographer - and said, 'If that goes to print, your pass won’t work at the next grand prix. You don’t stitch Natalie up like that.'
"And I was like, 'Wow, he’s a feminist!' Because, you know, obviously Bernie loved the grid girls and everything else, but actually, he’s got two daughters, he’s got a lovely wife, and so actually, he’s all for sticking up for girls in the moment."
Pinkham began work with Sky Sports F1 in the 2012 season, after a stint on BBC Radio 5 Live's F1 commentary team.
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