'Grid girls': F1 follows darts by calling time on women in hotpants

02 February 2018 01:33
F1 boss says practice of parading women in pit lane before races no longer reflects sport’s brand valuesIn 2018, in a world where powerful men are falling and every industry is rocked by allegations of sexual harassment, the use of women as decoration feels not only offensive but embarrassingly out-of-step. This week Formula One announced it would no longer be using “grid girls” – the young women spectators like to ogle and winning drivers like to spray their champagne over – who have been part of the sport for decades. “While the practice of employing grid girls has been a staple of Formula One 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,” said Sean Bratches, Formula One’s managing director of commercial operations. “We don’t believe the practice is appropriate or relevant to Formula One and its fans, old and new, across the world.” Continue readingreadfullarticle

Source: TheGuardian