Official: Grid Girls scrapped in F1

Liberty Media's head of Formula One commercial operations Sean Bratches has confirmed that women who accompany drivers on to the paddock during Grand Prix races, commonly known as 'grid girls', will no longer be used as the new owners of the sport look to improve the brand.

The American company, since taking over last year, have been looking to evolve the sport so that it appeals to a larger audience, and one of the discussions after the 2017 season surrounded the use of grid girls and whether it was old fashioned.

The talks have now concluded, and Bratches has confirmed that the tradition has been scrapped.

"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," Bratches said.

"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."

The use and tradition of grid girls has been polarising among figures in the sport and fans alike, with some for the idea and some against, with the latter's opinion surrounding the suggestion that it is sexist or outdated.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen claimed that "grid girls MUST stay in F1" during the summer, while Nico Hulkenberg said that it would be "a pity if they took the eye-candy away from the grid."

Verstappen's team-mate at Red Bull, Daniel Ricciardo, said: "Grid girls has always been a nice, little cool thing for everyone.
I would like to keep them, let's keep them."

It remains to be seen whether Liberty Media will look to replace the grid girls for the 2018 campaign.