In the wake of Formula 1 announcing an end to the era of grid girls opinions have been divided with surprisingly more vocal fans coming out in support of the tradition that has been part and parcel of Formula 1 since it began in the fifties.
One who questions the reasoning behind the decision, by the sport’s new American owners, is former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone who told The Sun, “The country at the moment is getting a bit prudish.”
“You should be allowed to have grid girls because the drivers like them, the audience like them and no one cares. These girls were part of the show, part of the spectacle.”
“I can’t see how a good-looking girl standing with a driver and a number in front of a Formula One car can be offensive to anybody. They are all nicely dressed I would think people like Rolex and Heineken wouldn’t have girls there who weren’t presentable.”
“I thought we had forgotten about girls not being able to do guys jobs and girls being able to guys jobs. I thought we were all the same. It was all part of the show the girls with the drivers was all part of the pre-show part of the tension,” added Ecclestone.
But the plug has been pulled on the tradition as F1 commercial chief Sean Bratches confirmed earlier in the week, “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 One and its fans, old and new, across the world.”
Big Question: Grid girls – for, against, indifferent or another….