Todt slates “bulls***” F1 grid girls debate

FIA President Jean Todt has dismissed the ongoing discussion about Liberty Media’s decision to stop using grid girls from the 2018 Formula 1 world championship calling it “bullshit”.

Todt, who begins his third and final four-year term as FIA President this year, feels F1 has bigger issues which need resolving rather than the debate sparked about the use of grid girls. F1’s new owners Liberty opted to replace grid girls with grid kids for 2018 which will first be seen at the season opener in Australia later this month.

Todt slates “bulls***” F1 grid girls debate

FIA President Jean Todt has dismissed the ongoing discussion about Liberty Media’s decision to stop using grid girls from the 2018 Formula 1 world championship calling it “bullshit”.

Todt, who begins his third and final four-year term as FIA President this year, feels F1 has bigger issues which need resolving rather than the debate sparked about the use of grid girls. F1’s new owners Liberty opted to replace grid girls with grid kids for 2018 which will first be seen at the season opener in Australia later this month.

While discussions and rumours continue to swirl around Ferrari’s F1 quit threats and the 2021 technical regulations remain uncertain, Todt feels the sport needs to focus on more vital matters rather than grid girls.

“It's not a problem, it's stupid,” Todt told The Daily Mail. “I have more important matters in my life to discuss than grid girls. I'm sorry that there's been so much talk about this kind of bullshit.”

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Todt is also eager to see more women compete at the top level in F1 after the recent controversy around Carmen Jorda’s comments saying female racers would be better suited to Formula E over F1 due to physical constraints. Jorda, a member of the FIA’s Women in Motorsport Commission has since clarified her comments and says she wasn’t speaking for all women in motorsport.

Todt has dismissed the idea of a women-only motorsport championship and is eager to see an increase in participation of women at all levels of motorsport.

“I'm very much in favour of women in racing and it's something we will develop,” he said “I'm frustrated not to see enough women in motorsport but I will not be in favour of a championship exclusively for women.”

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