F1 has been mulling over the decision to stop using grid girls for some time, but made an official announcement on the matter today. In a statement, the series said the practice is no longer considered politically correct and isn’t in line with parent company Liberty Media’s future vision for the 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,” the company said in a prepared statement. “We don’t believe the practice is appropriate or relevant to Formula 1 and its fans, old and new, across the world.”
Formula 1 also said it “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.”
Grid girls will also no longer be used during support series events during F1 weekends, such as Formula 2. MotoGP, the world’s premiere motorcycle racing series, also uses grid girls but hasn’t indicated it plans to stop the practice for this racing season.