F1’s CEO ‘pretty’ keen on glamour

Chase Carey, Formula One’s chief executive, says there will still be ‘‘pretty girls at races’’ under his leadership, adding that the sport will still have ‘‘glamour and mystique’’ going forwards.

In comments that are likely to raise eyebrows, given F1’s attempts to project a new image of itself by shelving grid girls – a practice which it said was ‘‘at odds with modern-day societal norms’’ – Carey admitted he personally would have kept the practice, as he ‘‘liked it’’.

But he had taken account of the views of other stakeholders and fans. ‘‘We’ve had some people who have been positive about it and others who were concerned. Unsurprisingly, many long-term fans view it as part of the sport they grew up with and I respect that.

‘‘Actually if you just left it up to me, personally, I like the grid girls. But it’s not a decision for me, it’s a decision for fans. And I think what we found is that a number of people anecdotally raised the issue, and as I went around what I found was there was a meaningful segment that found it – I don’t know whether offensive is too strong – but found it exploitative, or did not find it appropriate for the world we live in today.

‘‘I’d say on those who were OK with it, I got a lot more ‘I’m OK with it’ rather than ‘it’s important to me’. So when you end up with this meaningful segment that felt it was outdated, that it had an exploitative element to it – and I recognise that many of the grid girls were proud to do it and I think that’s great – but I think when you have as many people as I found who felt it was outdated and didn’t belong in a sport today, I think you have to be cognisant of that. The number that were passionately positive on the other side was much smaller.’’

Telegraph, London