Formula One abolishes its grid girls:
Walk-on grid girls were axed from Formula One today as the motorsport followed the move within darts to get rid of glamour women. F1 bosses said they will no longer use grid girls from this current season which starts in Australia in two months’ time because it is not in keeping with their ‘brand values’.
The move mirrors the Professional Darts Corporation’s decision last week to end the long-established practice of women escorting male players to the stage. The changes will also apply to other races which take place on grand prix weekends and will come into play from the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 25.
Sean Bratches, F1 managing director of commercial operations, said: ‘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. While the practice of employing grid girls has been a staple of Formula 1 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. We don’t believe the practice is appropriate or relevant to Formula 1 and its fans, old and new, across the world.’
London-based charity the Women’s Sport Trust had previously put pressure on F1 to drop its walk-on girls along with boxing and cycling, after the decision in darts. It tweeted last week: ‘We applaud the Professional Darts Corporation moving with the times and deciding to no longer use walk-on-girls. Motor racing, boxing and cycling… your move.’
It doesn’t matter who you are, how successful you are, or what you do. Sooner or later, SJWs are coming for you and your job.
Given that the NFL is even more converged than F1, can you really doubt that the league will be forcing the teams to get rid of their cheerleading squads soon? After all, they are at odds with what we are reliably informed are modern day societal norms.
Note that as with GamerGate and ComicsGate, it is the SJWs in the media who are driving this effort to disemploy pretty women. And you know ESPN is going to be all over this next season; it’s going to be the next great cause for them.
I think the girls are great, they get paid and it’s a job for them. I haven’t got a problem. But I do have a big problem in the age we live in – I’ve got the BBC, ITV and Sky, my three UK broadcasters, saying to me this is not part of their editorial policy any longer. They do not want to show the walk-on girls on television.
– PDC Chairman Barry Hearn