Mercedes Formula 1 star Lewis Hamilton has welcomed the return of models on the grid at this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix, describing the news in a press conference as “a beautiful thing”.
Male and female models for Tag Heuer will mingle on the start line at the race, although organisers say they will not be known as ‘grid girls’.
Instead of the historic role of holding placards that show the grid positions of each driver, the TAG Heuer models will instead roam around the track taking pictures of drivers that will then be posted on social media, a report by the BBC says.
“Monaco is a very elegant grand prix and when we pull up to the grid and there’s beautiful women on the grid, that’s the Monaco Grand Prix and that’s a lovely thing,” Mr Hamilton says.
His title rival Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel also believes that the #metoo movement that has brought an end to the era of female models being used to bring glamour to sporting events may have gone too far.
“I like women. I think they look beautiful. The bottom line is that there is too much of a fuss nowadays,” Mr Vettel said. “All the women that took part as a grid girl in the past did it because they want to. I’m sure if you ask any grid girl on Sunday if they’re happy to stand there, their answer will be yes. I don’t think there’s anybody that forces them to do it.”
