The topic of grid girls and promotional models in Formula One raised its head again at the Monaco Grand Prix. Here's everything you need to know about one of the championship's most controversial talking points.
Why are grid girls making a return in Monaco?
According to F1's official definition of a 'grid girl', they're not. There will be female promotional models on the grid (so we'll leave that with up to you to determine whether they are 'grid girls' or not) but they will not hold driver number placards, which appears to be the key differentiator in F1's strict definition of a 'grid girl'. But it won't just be female models, it will be a mix of males and females all representing the Monaco Grand Prix's biggest sponsor Tag Heuer. Their actual role on the grid will be to capture pictures of the drivers and relay messages from the sport's fans via social media.
So F1 hasn't lifted its ban on grid girls?
Again, this depends on your definition of grid girls. There will be female (and male) models on the grid but they are being employed by the promoter of the race and not directly through F1. In April this year, Automobile Club de Monaco president Michel Boeri said "we've had no problems with Liberty Media [F1's new owners], except for the grid girl issue. They'll be there, on the grid, but won't be holding any name-boards. They're pretty and the cameras will be on them once again."
Those comments sparked off negotiations between Liberty and the ACM to make sure the promotional models Tag Heuer supplied would be in line with F1's values.
Is this the first time 'promotional models' have been back on the grid?
Technically speaking, no. Other races this year have also featured women on the grid for promotional purposes. At the Spanish Grand Prix two weeks ago, Emirates stewardesses were on the grid purely to promote the U.A.E.-based airline which was the title sponsor of the race. Nobody raised the issue then.
Why is F1 against grid girls?
The decision to stop using grid girls was made at the start of this year because F1's new owners, Liberty Media, felt the practice was "at odds with modern day societal norms". Even though the on-track spectacle isn't due for major changes until 2021, the presentation of the sport has faced a significant overhaul in the last 12 months, with a new marketing department and new logo. It was felt that the practice of employing attractive women to stand on the grid for no reason other than to pose for the cameras did not fit with the image F1's new owners wanted to portray.
Wait, what about the grid kids?
Don't worry, the grid kids, who were brought in to replace grid girls, will still be on the grid in Monaco. The idea is to give local kids with an interest in motorsport a chance to meet their heroes before the race and sample the atmosphere of a grand prix by standing on the grid. Monaco only has a population of 38,499 people, so if you're a kid in Monaco your chances of standing on the grid are significantly higher than in any other country F1 visits. In fact, one of them is the cousin of Sauber's Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc.
What has been the paddock reaction to all this?
It's not been huge talking point outside the media centre, but the question has been posed to a number of high-profile members of the paddock. Lewis Hamilton answered, "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," which later led to a clarification on his Instagram as to what he meant by saying women are beautiful.
Hamilton's title rival Sebastian Vettel added: "I think the whole thing has been blown up, probably unnecessarily because I don't think any of the grid girls in the past were forced to do it, so I think they enjoyed what they were doing. I agree with Lewis, I like women, I think they look beautiful."
When asked about the return, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said: "I think if you ask five people you will have eight opinions on grid girls. I think it was not discriminatory at all, it was part of the history of Formula One. It has become sponsorship property, thinking about Emirates or Heineken and not to have Hawaiian Tropic girls we remember 30 years ago. So I'm happy to see them back on the grid in Monaco."
Christian Horner, whose Red Bull team is sponsored by Tag Heuer added: "To be honest with you, I think the girls make a welcome return this weekend. I think that it's something that should be open to all categories, so some races will choose to have grid kids, others will have mixed grids and I think that so long as it's done in an appropriate manner, then it's ultimately down to the promoter."
What does this mean for future races?
Russia has already publically stated its intention to use grid girls in some form at the Russian GP later this season. Earlier this year, the country's deputy prime minister Dmitry Kozak said: "If we can reach an agreement we will revive this tradition. Moreover, our girls are the most beautiful." Other races are expected to put on pre-race shows with performers representing the country's culture, which is something Formula One is keen to promote. Title sponsors of each race are likely to have promotional models in the paddock and on the grid for some time to come, but again, whether that fits your definition of a grid girl is largely subjective.