01/02/2018
NEWS STORY
A year after Formula E dropped grid girls F1 has followed suit and the all-electric series is revelling in its role as trend-setter.
"We are glad to welcome F1 to the 21st century," said a spokesman for Formula E according to Reuters.
"Formula E stopped using grid girls last year already but we just didn't feel the need to shout about it," they added.
Indeed, the electric series has adopted the practice of "grid kids", whereby youngsters hoping to make it into the sport perform the relevant duties and functions.
"It's a great and emotional experience for these kids to be on the starting grid, next to the drivers and cars that they might drive one day," said the Formula E spokesman, "so hopefully it also works as a good motivation for them."
Meanwhile the furore over F1's decision continues, with Bernie Ecclestone against the move.
"I can't see how a good-looking girl standing with a driver and a number in front of a Formula One car can be offensive to anybody," he told the Sun.
"They are all nicely dressed," added the former F1 supremo, who met his former wife Slavica when she was a grid girl at Monza. "I would think people like Rolex and Heineken wouldn't have girls there who weren't presentable."
"Where is this leading?" moaned Niki Lauda to Austria's Der Standard newspaper. "If you follow through like this, you soon won't have any cheerleaders anymore in the U.S."