We're a bit skeptical of the details, given that even a decade ago it's not clear there existed any men's magazine with the financial resources to sponsor a racing team, even at the Indy Lights level, but let's assume the story is true as related.
So what? Emma Kimiläinen turned the offer down. I would hope so, but let's not assume everyone would have given the number of women willing to sacrifice yet more with the despicable Harvey Weinstein for their career advancement. It's an interesting feel-good story here until the writer has to posit the thought that men would not be asked to do the same, which is rather not at all the point.
Ask a potential Formula 1 driver if he'd be photographed nude in return for sponsorship in a F1 car and within seconds you're going to have a naked 20 yr old male standing before you. (All but the very top, most-established, F1 drivers are expected to bring sponsorship with them. Sergio Perez is a marginal F1 driver, but he's sponsored by Carlos Slim, who wants a Mexican driver upon the F1 world stage, so Perez never lacks for offer of a ride.)
Did Playgirl still exist, and had it ever had the wherewithal to sponsor a racing team, it would not have lacked for males volunteering to pose in exchange for ride sponsorship. The only difference here is that there's no real market for photos of Lewis Hamilton with his clothes off. And, truth be told, precious little of one for Emma, either.
Another junk journalism story the only purpose to which even writing is the magazine's desire for virtue-signalling.
Good for Emma, but so what? There exist easily fifty other drivers as fast as is she, and they'll be expected to bring sponsorship with them.