FORMULA ONE TO STOP USING GRID GIRLS: F1 management’s stunning announcement
The outdated practice of using a female-body to attract fans and attention, in the form of Grid Girls, is under review for the last few months by the new Formula One Management and despite many drivers, officials and other stakeholders realising the importance of such decision, many also felt that it has been part of the game and harmless to have such display of female beauty to use as a photo-op and to attract sponsors or fans. But once for all the new Liberty management, who have taken over from old commercial rights holders headed by Bernie Ecclestone have put a full stop to such show `fast cars, fast girls’. But no one expected this decision to come so soon. This website believes it is a right decision and will advocate for stopping the Grid Girls in the Indian domestic races too to respect and provide dignity to the voices of gender equality and promote the idea of a different meaning to `Women in Motorsport’.
Formula 1 will end the long-standing practice of using walk-on grid girls, commencing with the start of the 2018 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season. These changes also apply to our other motorsports series that take place during the Grands Prix weekends.
Formula 1 considers the time spent by teams and drivers on the grid before a race as one of celebration, where guests and various performers can add to the glamour and spectacle of the Grand Prix, enabling promoters and partners to showcase their countries and products.
Sean Bratches, Managing Director, Commercial Operations at Formula 1 said: “Over the last year we have looked at a number of areas which we felt needed updating so as to be more in tune with our vision for this great sport. While the practice of employing grid girls has been a staple of Formula 1 Grands Prix for decades, we feel this custom does not resonate with our brand values and clearly is at odds with modern-day societal norms. We don’t believe the practice is appropriate or relevant to Formula 1 and its fans, old and new, across the world.”
eom/A Formula One Management press release
