Finnish W Series racer Emma Kimilainen has spoken out about being asked to pose topless by her team’s sponsor.

The request came after the team had secured a ‘high end men’s magazine’ as a sponsor for the 2010 season.

But Kimilainen, who rejected the proposal, insists she tried to see the funny side of the sexism in motorsport a decade ago.

“I was preparing to perform on the team but I decided to ask for more details," she said on the Shikaani Formula 1 podcast.

"They told me they had had some disagreements with the partner, they wanted pictures of me in a bikini and topless.

"I asked what was going on, until I realized that the partner was an erotic male magazine. I immediately refused.

"Today that proposal seems absurd and incorrect, but the world was very different 10 years ago with regard to women's rights and equality in general.

"In competition there were girls with little clothes and women who showed a sexist image associated with the sex industry.

"I faced this with humor, as one of the crazy things that happened to me during these years."

However, the Finnish racer, who is now a leading driver in the all-female W Series, believes the sport has changed a great deal since 2009.

Addressing the story once more, she told her Instagram followers: "CASE TOPLESS. The people who know me knows that I'm an extrovert and social person, but I get a bit shy when given attention related to my career, especially if it's about something else than race results. Weird combination, I know, but it must be the Finnish character that steps in.

"We Finns can be very modest. We don't have an official motto for our country but it sure could be 'please don't make coffee just for me’ / "ei sinun minua varten tarvitse keittää" meaning that we don't want to trouble people or draw any extra attention.

"Well that's how I've felt since I somehow joyfully opened up in a Finnish F1 podcast Shikaani (recorded abput a month ago) to tell and laugh about some of the crazy things that has happened during my career.

"I'm far from being a resentful person so I hope nobody gets offended for me. The case is 10 years old and Indy lights as a series has nothing to do with it. These decisions are always made by individuals and these particular ones can probably feel the stab in the heart without me publishing any names. It would help no one.

"The world and motorsport has luckily changed for better concerning equality and diversity. Lots of work to do still, but huge steps have been made over the past few years thanks to all of the amazing talented women racers who kick ass on tracks all around the globe, to the people who give the opportunity to succeed, @wseriesracing , #metoo campaign , @fiawim , media and many individual spokespersons, drivers and supporters."