Don't expect to see scantily clad women standing next to the cars at the 24 Hours of Le Mans this year. According to Reuters, the FIA World Endurance Championship is dropping pretty ladies for pretty ladies' sake from the grid. It's about time.
I've long held that the opportunities to be close to the action (even if it's just to hold an umbrella or a number placard) should be given to whichever fans would get the most out of it, not just the prettiest faces. Yes, some pretty faces are also really into motorsports, but let's give the nerds and dudes a chance!
Grid girls are an outdated relic from the time when women weren't driving the cars, and that's why the whole idea has got to go. It gives off the unfortunate impression that women are an accessory, not a part of the event, which really isn't the case anymore.
The WEC is going one farther and ditching the outdated tradition altogether from its events, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
"From Silverstone next week, you will see that for any race we will do — no grid girls like in the past," WEC CEO Gérard Neveu told Reuters. "For me that is the past. The condition of women is a little bit different now."
Toyota LMP1 driver Anthony Davison was glad to hear of the changes, too. Davison told Reuters:
I talk about this with my wife quite a lot, and we both agree it's actually pretty backward.
It's old school to have such a concept as grid girls. Surely the world's moved on? And motor racing should follow quite closely what the rest of the world's doing in that respect.
I think that's a really nice touch, a modern touch as well, from the WEC to take that aspect of racing away. It is a bit sexist.
Welcome to the twenty-first century, WEC. We have delicious cookies.
"The show will start from the grid...but the star at the end is the sportscars and the drivers of the car," Neveu told Reuters.
The WEC's awesome cars-as-the-focus grid starts with the 6 Hours of Silverstone next weekend.
Photo credit: Getty Images
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