World Endurance Championship Does Away With 'Grid Girls'

Women have been a part of every motorsport's grid pretty much since its inception. However, that is about to change, at least as far as the FIA World Endurance Championship is concerned - the motor racing endurance series is doing away with 'grid girls'.

Unfortunately, this phenomenon which involves scantily clad women aka 'race queens', 'umbrella girls' or 'grid girls' standing next to cars with flags/placards has been a feature for quite some time.

Gerard Neveu, chief executive, WEC, told Reuters, "From Silverstone next week, you will see that for any race we will do - no grid girls like in the past." Neveu explained that the championship will now employ a start that will see cars lining-up diagonally opposite the pit-wall and grandstand - much like the old-style 'Le Mans start'.

"The sport is sport, but around it we can do many things," he said. "We will have a DJ, entertainment, many things on the grid. The show will start from the grid...but the star at the end is the sportscars and the drivers of the car." He added the changes are an endeavour to tend to the demands of a new audience.

With that being said, one must note that when women racers have joined the grid, the 'umbrella' role has been taken by a man.

(With inputs from Reuters)