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MONTE CARLO, Monaco -- Lewis Hamilton has moved to clarify comments he made on Wednesday in response to the news that female promotional models will be returning to the grid for Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix. Formula One insists the use of male and female models promoting race sponsor Tag Heuer does not constitute a return of 'grid girls', which the sport stated it would no longer use at the start of the year. The models will be present on the grid to take pictures of the drivers and relay messages from the sport's fans, but will not hold placards with driver numbers as they have done in previous years. When asked for his opinion on the Tag Heuer initiative, Hamilton said on Wednesday: "I think women are the most beautiful thing in the world. There's been races where we've had guys standing at the front and a mixture at some races in the past.  "I think Monaco is a very elegant grand prix and I don't know how women feel about it, I haven't really ever spoken to them about how they feel about the whole situation. I can't really comment. I don't particularly feel any way about it. When we pull up to the grid and there's beautiful women on the grid that's the Monaco Grand Prix, that's a lovely thing." Thursday on Instagram, he tried to clarify those comments, adding: "I think what women are achieving today is incredibly inspiring, I love and support women around the world, I think they are the smartest species and equality for them is a key for the future of the world. Me saying I think they are beautiful is just stating a fact, what I find incredibly attractive is a beautiful intelligent and ambitious woman! #facts" Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, whose team is sponsored by Tag Heuer, said the return of promotional models was "welcome" at Monaco. "The girls are provided by Tag Heuer, our partner, for the weekend and I think it's a subject that has obviously raised huge debate across different spectrums. To be honest with you, I think the girls make a welcome return this weekend and it's something that should be open to all categories. "Some races will choose to have grid kids, some will choose to have mixed grids and I think so long as it is done in an appropriate manner it is ultimately down to the [race] promoter."
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