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Formula One Grand Prix in Sochi

Formula One racing to remain ‘glamorous sport’ even without grid girls, vows F1 CEO Carey

In late January, the management announced its decision to shelve the tradition of models lining up on the starting grids before each race citing flak from the current social climate

© AP Photo/Frank Augstein

BAKU, February 13. /TASS, Andrey Kartashov/. FIA Formula One World Championship will still "be glamorous" sports event even without the so-called grid girls at the start of each Grand Prix, F1 Chief Executive Chase Carey told TASS on Tuesday.

In late January, the management of Formula One announced its decision to shelve the tradition of models lining up on the starting grids before each race citing flak from the current social climate. Liberty Media, which owns F1, announced later that the previous scheme of grid girls would be replaced with the new concept of "grid kids."

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Asked by a TASS correspondent why the decision was made to remove grid girls, which was a long-standing tradition for the world of Formula One, Carey said "We are going to have plenty of pretty girls at the races."

"There was a view by a number of fans and there were obviously some, who felt it was not appropriate for today’s time, and there were some who enjoyed it," Carey said. "In today’s age and time we made the judgement that we can still have a glamorous sport without having things that offend, or bother a number of people."

The 2018 FIA Formula One Championship includes 21 races and begins with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 23-25. The final Grand Prix of the upcoming season will be held in Abu Dhabi on November 23-25.

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