In a statement issued this Wednesday, Formula 1 announced that there will no longer be grid girls — professional models, also known as umbrella girls — in the 2018 season's Grand Prix.
Sean Bratches, F1 Marketing DirectorThe practice of employing “grid girls” has been a F1 tradition for decades. We understand that this practice is no longer part of the brand's values and is questionable in light of modern social norms. We do not believe the practice is appropriate or relevant for F1 and its supporters, young or old, around the world.
The measure, which extends to all satellite events that take place during the GP’s, takes effect as early as the Australian GP, the first of the 2018 season.
This measure is part of an extensive package of changes carried out by Liberty Media, since it took charge of the category, in 2017. Since then, the way of communicating the modality has undergone numerous changes (importance of social networks, communication with fans, etc.) .
According to the F1 marketing director, Sean Bratches, the use of grid girls "is no longer part of the brand's values, in addition to being questionable in light of modern social norms".
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