Hello media, why did you publish the news that Grid Girls will be history soon. You said that the Grid Girls are from a long gone era, like Bernie Ecclestone. Why don’t you spread the word of the fans who like to keep them? There is no reason to have them banned from the grid. They are an addition for the sport. It is a political game isn’t it dear media? I would say keep the girls on the grid!
I recall a discussion I had several year ago with a friend of mine. She said she did not like it when we watched Formula One, or went to a circuit because of the Grid Girls, and pit babes. She said that those girls are pure “sex symbols” and they have no addition to the sport. While she walked in a mini skirt with a tank top, what is the difference? I did not pay too much attention to her criticism, and a few months later, it seemed she was not offended by it any more.
Remember the days with James Hunt… naah that doesn’t matter, before I become sentimental for an era were drivers smoked and had sex before a race, and became true party animals after the race. However, the discussion went, and recently the discussion came back. To be honest, when Liberty Media out qualified Bernie Ecclestone, I had this feeling that something was going to happen. On the first place I’m not a fan at all of the American show elements as you can see during the Super Bowl or during a Nascar race. It seems Formula One goes the same way. All about the show, and that’s were Liberty Media stands for.
When Ross Brawn announced last week in the media that Liberty Media is thinking of getting rid of the Grid girls I was not surprised at all. The Girls are out dated, not from this time, as if they are prehistoric like Bernie Ecclestone. I wasn’t surprised to hear this. Recently in the PDC (Darts) they announced the same. But the Walk on Girls will stay there they say. Brawn also said that many groups have no problem with the Grid Girls. However, some groups seemed to get offended by the Grid Girls, probably a very small minority, because the girls are sex symbols and so on. Liberty Media stated that they want to respect all parties… so why listen to a small minority?
So if Grid Girls do offend minorities and underestimate woman rights… why these minorities and supporting groups don’t do something about the situation of woman in Saudi Arabia? Or how about those beauty contests for young girls aged between 4 and 9 in America, which really is terrible? Why not make more efforts for woman who got forces to go in prostitution? In my opinion these are true points they should fight for or at least do something with. Sure Grid Girls look amazing, and for the sport they are a great marketing tool. I can’t deny that!
As mentioned before the issue about Grid Girls is that some groups seem them as Sex symbols, objects, not as humans that just do their work. However, if you see them as sex symbols or as objects there is something wrong with your own state of mind. The problem is the current society we live in, were traditions and so on have to be changed, because minorities get offended by it. There are plenty of examples these days were minorities demand changes because they are minorities. I remember from early days that we respected minorities and lived together? And these days’ people are afraid to tell their thought. Afraid it will affect themselves as person, and place them in a bad spot.
However before this post becomes too political, I can write endless about this subject, I want to say that Grid Girls are far from outdated Liberty Media! They are the perfect tool to promote Formula One and the motor sport globally. Grid Girls are part of the sport, part of the glamour, party of the atmosphere, part of that sparkle that is called Formula One. Have you ever been to a circuit yourself? Have you ever seen the girls walking in the paddock who are “friends” of one of the drivers, or belong to some kind of a delegation? If you see them you ask yourself where did you come from? I prefer to see a ban on these type of “Look I’m here” woman who have zero connection with the sport!
Remember the days when teams as Jordan Grand Prix and Benetton were presented in the paddock. Do you remember the pit babes that both Eddie Jordan and Flavio Briatore had around them? Did it really offend us see those girls in the paddock? No of course not! I would ask Liberty Media to overthink their ideas of getting rid of the Grid Girls. The girls have always been part of Formula One. In the 1960’s we had the elegant woman standing in the pits. In the 1970s we James Hunt hunting the Grid Girls and so on. There is no reason to have them banned from Formula One, it is part of the show to speak in Liberty terms. They want to improve the Formula One, to make it more attractive and exciting. With a Flip-flop car, a brand new logo no one liked, higher prices, and maybe a ban for Grid Girls…. They destroy the sport instead of improving it. Thank god drivers and people in the Formula One are saying the Grid Girls should stay!
