Lewis Hamilton’s F1 grid girl killed as car ploughs into wall
A MODEL who acted as F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton’s ‘grid girl’ has been killed in a car crash just moments from her home.
Kate Woodcock, 30, died when her black BMW crashed into a wall near a petrol station in Aldridge, West Midlands, on Thursday night.
Grid girls were axed ahead of the 2018 season amid concerns that the decades- old practice of employing models to carry name boards and umbrellas to shield drivers from the sun on the grid was sexist.
Sean Bratches, Formula 1’s commercial boss, said the custom did not ‘resonate with our brand values’. Miss Woodcock, from Aldridge, criticised the decision at the time.
The model, who spent two years with four-times champion Hamilton and another season with German driver Sebastian Vettel, told The Sun in February: ‘It’s going to put models out of jobs and careers. I did it because I wanted to do it and loved it. It’s professional and nobody crossed the line once.
‘More stuff probably goes on in an office. There was only me and another girl that were British. I was booked because I was intelligent, well-spoken, hard-working – and those elements go into the whole package.’ As well as working on the F1 circuits, Miss Woodcock had modelled for magazines and worked in PR events.
SDMPE, a modelling agency she worked with, tweeted: ‘We’d like to take the time out to pay a special tribute to Kate Woodcock. We’re deeply shocked and saddened to lose such a lovely, beautiful girl and an exceptional model who shined very bright always.’ A crowdfunding page set up to raise money for Miss Woodcock’s funeral had already exceeded its £4,000 target last night.
Appeal organiser Lucy Ford wrote: ‘On September 27, 2018, our lives were turned upside down when we tragically lost Kate. Kate was a beautiful, special girl who will be missed deeply by everyone who knew her.
‘We hope to raise funds towards the cost of her funeral and give her the send-off she deserves. Many thanks for all your love and support.’
Bouquets with messages were left at the accident site. One message said: ‘My beautiful sister, I love you so much. I am going to miss you! Too young, too early to go, life will never be the same. Love you.’
Anyone who witnessed the collision, has dashcam footage or may have seen the vehicle Miss Woodcock was travelling in is asked to call police.
‘Too young, too early to go’