Formula 1 grid girls are gone
The time for change has come
LONDON - Formula 1 is ending the use of female models who parade and
stand with the drivers' name boards before every grand prix, with
immediate effect.
The sport announced the decision in a statement Wednesday and said
the change would also apply to all support series on the program.
"While the practice of employing grid girls has been a staple of
Formula One 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," said commercial manager Sean Bratches.
"We don't believe the practice is appropriate or relevant to Formula 1 and its fans, old and new, across the world," he added.
F1 has not had a woman race driver on the starting grid since the
1970s but is far more mixed off the track, with female engineers and
mechanics as well as in media and marketing.
Two of the 10 teams have had female bosses, including former
championship-winning team Williams. Formula 1 management has a number of
women in senior positions, too.
The use of female models, even if not as scantily-clad as in the
past, has been increasingly criticized in a sport that is now under
U.S.-based ownership following Liberty Media's takeover last year.
Liberty, who ousted former supremo Bernie Ecclestone
a year ago, have been looking to make the pre-race show more of a
feature with the emphasis on entertainment for fans and promotion.
(AutoBlog.com)
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