Lauda on Grid Girls issue: "How dumb can someone be?"

Formula One legend and current Mercedes advisor Niki Lauda has slammed the decision of Liberty Media to ditch the use of 'grid girls' during Grand Prix races, and has accused the decision-makers as 'dumb' as the change goes 'against women'.

Liberty Media have come under criticism from some figures in the sport for taking away the tradition of 'grid girls' accompanying drivers out to the paddock before races. Their reason for doing this is that it goes against their 'vision' of what the sport should be.

Lauda, a veteran of the sport, believes the decision is 'dumb'.

"How dumb can someone be? Women have emancipated themselves and do very well at it," the former F1 champ said.

"So this is a decision against women.

"I think it's a great pity to break a tradition such as this, which does Formula 1 but above all women no favours at all. I would not mind seeing grid boys next to the girls. Why not?"

"I want to encourage rather than diminish women. But once again it is men who have decided over the heads of women."

Lauda "hopes there is a way to reverse the decision" before the start of the new campaign which kicks off next month.

The use of 'grid girls' has become synonymous with the sport over the years, and critics of the decision from Liberty Media have pointed to the fact that no matter how people feel about the use of the women, they do not want to see people losing their jobs.