After decades of being a fixture in the paddock and starting grid, Formula 1’s grid girls, sometimes known as “umbrella girls”, “brolly birds” or “race queens”, will no longer make an appearance from 2018. This ban also applies to other motorsports series that take place during Grand Prix weekends at the same circuit.
“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,” said Sean Bratches, Managing Director, Commercial Operations at Formula 1. During the start-up to the race, it has been traditional for teams to have a grid girl carry an umbrella to provide the driver with shade.
The girls usually wear outfits emblazoned with team and sponsor logos, and are also a fixture in the public areas during the Formula 1 weekend. “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,” said Bratches.
News of such a ban comes as no surprise, as the decision was being mulled last year. Other race series, such as MotoGP, still have grid girls, but the practice has come under criticism, with calls to promote gender equality with “grid boys”.
Formula 1 no longer races in Malaysia, with the final race at Sepang International Circuit held last year. The 2018 Formula 1 World Championship season kicks off with the Rolex Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 25.
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Eh, doesnt concerns us. inb4 bashers says F1 mgmt becoming more conservative, now the grid girls not just need to cover up but totally disappear.
Hurr durrr.. Sepang baju kurung girls….
Pity we have lost F1. Malaysia seems to be losing a lot of good stuff. Don’t forget also the hundreds of billions USD in investments that go to Thailand instead of Malaysia the past 20 years.
Whats the point of having F1but losing money on it?
Anyway its a boring spectator sport.
F1 losing money here.
Why ah
Tanya Bernie
Ya lost money in India and South Korea too, why ah???
No pity. U pipu have been clamouring for it to kolos since before it started.
And tomyam can have those jobs. We dun need more foreign companies staffed by even more foreign workers. Profits and salary go out of MY and left us with foreign worker problems. So no tenkiu.
why hosting F1 if spectator in the circuit moreless 100k? u need at least 200-300k for whole weekend to make it relevent. Less than that waste of money.
From what I see, it is part of automation process. Advertisement via billboard/digital instead of using human. board = 24/7. Girls = suppose applicable during racing day only.
Same like at IKEA now you can self checkout via CC rather than employ a person to operate the register.
Grid boys like Sinonloresca (check his IG for reference) hehe
Nice very nice chicks…
Good. Save cost. And can save more men from the #metoo allegations.
Some umbrella bois wud be nice..
I saw what you did there…sa1ful
Lagi meleleh…
women exploitation..one down..a lot more to go..good job F1
Exploitation is a strong word. These grid girls are perfectly consenting adults earning a living. I say, just introduce grid boys if people want equality. We regularly objectify attractive people whether you are aware of it or not and that’s fine.
This way ladies who do these gigs won’t lose one source of income while male models have one extra option to earn a buck.
nope, i still see it as exploitation..
Your general knowledge of this world is as limited as the number of toyota supras that are still in existence right now.
Much can be said abt these pretty umbrella girls but if we were to take a moment to ponder, they really serve no purpose. IMHO, this move is commendable.
After all, had Sepang continued on with the F1 programme, its just a matter of time that certain fusspot party would make a sound again.
If U think Grid girls is of no use, U can order your Steak without the side dressing the next time U order your medium rare Steak.
Hopefully, the Steak is cheaper too. If the Steak or F1 is not cheaper, why bother to remove the Girls or dressing of the steak ?!
12yrsold,
wow…care to correct your analogy? you really sound like a 12 year old boy who is undergoing puberty.
I’m sorry if I made myself sounded like I’m totally in it and like I’m one of those hypocrites. In fact, I don’t believe nobody don’t appreciate. It’s just that, in the age where women liberralism and gender equality is at high and from their perspective, these girls really served no purpose other than providing pleasures to pervs and I don’t see the connection between your steak and sauce with this. Btw, by side dressing, you do meant sauce, don’t you? Just because you had Wagyu beef at your local Korean joint, doesn’t mean you know your steak well. You don’t know it until you’ve tried the real deal. So get real, boy! Lift up your head and see the real world for a change.
Since U asked, I’ll gladly try my best Not to embarrass U for being arrogant. For a starter, there should be an entree like soup B4 the main course.
Your Good Steak should come with Salad like crunchy iceberg with rich blue-cheese dressing or caramelized Pears with Red Onions.
Some fresh crunchy green beans & caramelized shallots adds a touch of decadence. There U have it johnnas.
Maybe its time U go for the real deal like The Steakhouse KL or Prime in Le Meridien KL. Hehehe. Cheers
I can have the steak on its own. Thanks.
That is entirely your CHOICE but the price is the same with or without dressing. If the ticket(F1) price is the same, don’t remove the grid girls.
On the bright side, at least this will reduce the “i’m beauty hence I can do whatever I want” phenomena among young girls who dreamt to get rich just by being pretty,
and also reduce the testoterone level of guys who think girls are nothing more then their accessories.
win win situation. let the focus back to the cars, the drivers, the race. And reduce perv that only hunts for girls. hehehe
BEGONE THOT!
9gagger detected
They just have to remove this feature all because some ugly women movement think their whole lot are being exploited. These girls just want to make an honest living, what is wrong with that?
Different people have different ways to make ends meet.
The world is becoming less colourful… and less interesting.
U want to stop grid girls and promote grid boys… and u wonder why LGBT is growing…
Just use robots la…easier and less controversy. Just make sure the robots don’t have any gender.
Use R2D2s & BB8s to serve the drivers. Sure everyone will agree.
Ppl become more civilized….stop the exploitation of females which got nothing to do wt F1 itself…as if the girls are driving the cars. Just plain sexual exploitation…
Macamlah these girls will come to you by you showing how much you care about them.
They are just earning a living for God sake.
feminism and call for gender equality = Jaga tepi kain orang to the max. Seriously, it’s their body, they’re consented and agree to such jobs, let them have their way! Why enforce your view to the others that don’t?
The day that magazines doesn’t feature cover girls anymore and no ladies in Bigo Live showing their ‘assets’ to their viewers is the day that feminism can come into play! For now, it’s just double standard all around…
Later, drivers also no need, the cars can race themselves :)
Extremism and social justice warrior slowly creeping in to everyday life.