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Author Topic: Grid Girls in 2019 ... ?  (Read 3175 times)

Offline Calman

Grid Girls in 2019 ... ?
« on: December 07, 2018, 02:05:41 AM »
I've heard conflicting reports on this, but I do know that Russia ... and Monaco will again sport Grid Girls in 2019.  So, are 'grid kids' ready to be phased out, or is this apple cart material??

Best Regards,
Cal :)


Anyone Have A Decent Pen?

Offline Andy B

Re: Grid Girls in 2019 ... ?
« Reply #1 on: December 07, 2018, 08:29:14 PM »
Did anyone notice grid kids? I cannot say I did and the grid girls do not dress the way they used to under say Fosters plus they are not forced to do it and from all the reports they all enjoy the weekend.
So why not?
Once you have retired every day is a Saturday!

Offline Calman

Re: Grid Girls in 2019 ... ?
« Reply #2 on: December 07, 2018, 08:34:52 PM »
From memory, I can only remember witnessing the "grid kids" line up, as the drivers and BIG WIGS made their way up to the front of the grid for the nation anthems.  Other than that, their presence appeared to be muted.   In contrast, the Grid Girls always stood in front of the cars, pretty much until the serious business prior to the formation lap, right?

Best Rergards,
Cal :)
Anyone Have A Decent Pen?

Online cosworth151

Re: Grid Girls in 2019 ... ?
« Reply #3 on: December 08, 2018, 05:19:25 PM »
The Grid Girls were all over the place the entire weekend. They were at the pit walk about, the driver autograph sessions, the historic race car displays and just about every other official activity from Thursday to Sunday. They were on the grid for all of the support races as well as the actual GP.
“You can search the world over for the finer things, but you won't find a match for the American road and the creatures that live on it.”
― Bob Dylan

Offline Calman

Re: Grid Girls in 2019 ... ?
« Reply #4 on: December 08, 2018, 08:49:18 PM »
The Grid Girls were all over the place the entire weekend. They were at the pit walk about, the driver autograph sessions, the historic race car displays and just about every other official activity from Thursday to Sunday. They were on the grid for all of the support races as well as the actual GP.

Correct cosworth151!!

.. and this is the education for the people who preferred to see them dropped, with the idea that these girls did nothing other than stand like garden gnomes (T&A with Toothpaste Commercial Smiles) holding a billboard in front of the cars.

Best Regards,
Cal :)
Anyone Have A Decent Pen?

Offline Alianora La Canta

Re: Grid Girls in 2019 ... ?
« Reply #5 on: December 17, 2018, 03:29:32 PM »
Monaco, Russia, the USA and Singapore had promotional girls this year, in addition to the "grid kids". If you didn't notice the promotional girls at these events in 2018, you probably won't notice them in 2019 either. The more interesting part is that it sounds like the USA and Singapore are dropping them for 2019, from the way that report is worded - possibly due to all three being obstensibly related to pre-existing sponsor agreements. In other words, there will be fewer promotional girls around, not more.

The grid kids' activities are limited by the fact that, as under-16s, they're technically not allowed on the grid. Even participating the way they do skirts health and safety rules in a number of countries. They are only there on the Sunday, too, to cut costs for the FIA (which is paying for them to be present; they are unlikely to pay for anyone to be there for 4 days unless absolutely necessary). For that matter, they're generally too young to work (typically 8-11, though some countries consider older candidates if short enough), so asking them to hold up a race number in front of a car would be illegal in most of the countries F1 visits. They are (or are supposed to be) on the grid, generally at the sides, watching their assigned driver prepare for the race and absorbing tips (these are all karters or junior series racers, hoping to one day be F1 drivers themselves). They are assigned GP3/F3 and F2 racers on the same basis, when possible. They watch the races from the Paddock Club, and are accompanied by parents/guardians at all times.

The "grid kids" are often hard to spot from the pictures used on TV, because Liberty chooses not to emphasise that FIA scheme (only their idea that they don't have official grid girls any more), and they're dressed in neutral grey overalls, but they're definitely there and are very proud of their role in events. If I needed proof (and I do see them in front of the drivers for the National Anthem when the camera angle allows this), it came when I stumbled upon the Twitter feed of one of the Japanese karters who was chosen for the duty in Suzuka. She was shocked at the "cover price" of a photo of the grid kids on duty (including herself) being billed at $400. I had to advise her that this was the price quoted for commercial/media use, and if she wanted a copy for her house, she should email the photographer because it would probably cost a lot less. (It did, and she got the picture for her wall a few weeks ago).
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Online cosworth151

Re: Grid Girls in 2019 ... ?
« Reply #6 on: December 17, 2018, 04:46:51 PM »
Thank you, Ali. I wasn't aware of most of that. I am a bit more impressed by the fact that they are young racers.

Good on you for helping the youngster with getting a picture. Well done!  :good:
“You can search the world over for the finer things, but you won't find a match for the American road and the creatures that live on it.”
― Bob Dylan

Offline Calman

Re: Grid Girls in 2019 ... ?
« Reply #7 on: December 17, 2018, 09:35:41 PM »
Indeed, great info there Ali ... some of it I knew, some of it I didn't.

Best Regards,
Cal :)
Anyone Have A Decent Pen?

Offline John S

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Re: Grid Girls in 2019 ... ?
« Reply #8 on: December 18, 2018, 10:54:39 AM »

So in reality they just ditched the grid girls full stop, the guff about involving the racer kids was just window dressing to cover doing away with jobs for a lot of ladies at GPs.   
 
They could have the kids there as well without any effect or crossover with Grid Girl activity. Typical two faced corporate Spin. 


 
Racing is Life - everything else is just....waiting. (Steve McQueen)

Offline Calman

Re: Grid Girls in 2019 ... ?
« Reply #9 on: December 18, 2018, 03:19:33 PM »
Well, this was the guff that went before ...

"After scrapping grid girls, Formula One unveils ‘grid kids’ to liven up pre-race paddock. Liberty Media, who own the event since 2016, said that they trying reinvent the sport to make it reach out to a wider audience."

"Sean Bratches, 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.”


Oh, how right they were!!! *drip! drip!! drip!!!*


Best Regards,
Cal :)
Anyone Have A Decent Pen?

Offline Ian

Re: Grid Girls in 2019 ... ?
« Reply #10 on: December 18, 2018, 04:00:29 PM »
Typical pc snowflake and diversity guff eh Cal, it's everywhere now and I'm sick of it all, and I won't start about all the gender crud.  :D
An aircraft landing is just a controlled crash.

Offline Calman

Re: Grid Girls in 2019 ... ?
« Reply #11 on: December 18, 2018, 04:25:00 PM »
Typical pc snowflake and diversity guff eh Cal, it's everywhere now and I'm sick of it all, and I won't start about all the gender crud.  :D

Pretty much Ian!!

I still love to analyse this initial quote ...

"After scrapping grid girls, Formula One unveils ‘grid kids’ to liven up pre-race paddock. Liberty Media, who own the event since 2016, said that they trying reinvent the sport to make it reach out to a wider audience."

.. sounds like Liberty Media don't get out much, if they view scrapping grid girls for grid kids "livens up" the paddock. Also, reinvent the sport to reach a wider audience??? ... of course, how silly of me, before Liberty came along, F1 was held in the local community centre, where only 43 people in cities across UK an Europe had even heard of the sport (some of them thought it was a 'basic computing' course).

So, what do you think Liberty's next BIG THING is? ... scrap all tracks that don't meet oval specification, in the hope of increasing overtaking?? ... how about Monster Tyres and Bull Bars as wings???, HELL YEAH!!!!!  :DD

Best Regards,
Cal :)
Anyone Have A Decent Pen?

Online cosworth151

Re: Grid Girls in 2019 ... ?
« Reply #12 on: December 18, 2018, 07:34:40 PM »
On the other hand, taking boatloads of money from every two-bit despot who wants to have his own F1 race is just fine.
“You can search the world over for the finer things, but you won't find a match for the American road and the creatures that live on it.”
― Bob Dylan

Offline Calman

Re: Grid Girls in 2019 ... ?
« Reply #13 on: December 18, 2018, 10:18:29 PM »
On the other hand, taking boatloads of money from every two-bit despot who wants to have his own F1 race is just fine.

I sincerely hope you are not having a dig at Mr Ecclescake, he be my mostest favouritest loveliest kindestest man in the world!!!  :DD

Best Regards,
Cal :)
Anyone Have A Decent Pen?

Offline Scott

Re: Grid Girls in 2019 ... ?
« Reply #14 on: December 19, 2018, 03:36:33 PM »
Forget gender...I think there should be a short entry test for EVERYONE trying to access the grid.  Clear out the wanna-be-seen’s and install some fans.  Time to de-clutter.  :crazy: :crazy:
The Honey Badger doesn't give a...

 


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