Monaco and Russia plan to reinstate F1 ‘grid girls’

Russiaandmonacoappear set to defy orders from Formula One chiefs by bringing back “grid girls” for their two races.

The practice of employing grid girls – models who perform promotional work at races – was dropped by F1 in January at the height of the #Metoo movement.

They were intended to be instead replaced by “grid kids” at all 21 of the season’s grand prix.

But Monaco grand prix boss Michel Boeri has said there would be grid girls at its race, held on the city’s street, next month.

Russian deputy prime minister Dmitry Kozak, who heads the Russian GP organising committee, also said he thought it was “wrong” to bring children on to the track because they would be “scared”.

“Here it should be adults,” hewas quoted as saying.

“If we manage to reach agreement, we plan to reinstate this tradition. After all, our girls are the most beautiful.”

In explaining the original decision not to use grid girls, F1’s managing director of commercial operations, Sean Bratches, said the change would be made “so as to be more in tune with our vision for this great sport”.