Grid girls were not replaced by drag queens at the 2023 Melbourne Grand Prix

^{By Frank Algra-Mashcio}

Posts on Facebook claiming that “grid girls” at the 2023 Formula 1 Grand Prix in Melbourne were “replaced” by drag queens are missing context.

One post states, “So they replaced grid girls like me for a drag act..  What an absolute piss take.”

Another said, “It’s an absolute disgrace that we [grid girls] have effectively been erased at the GP and replaced by (I think I’m correct in saying) men dressed as us. Its [SIC] the final slap in the face.”

The posts show images of drag performers off the track at the Grand Prix in Melbourne, juxtaposed with images of past grid girls.

One post attracted more than 2,000 reactions and another more than 1,000; together they were shared more than 1,000 times.

However, these posts are missing context as they give the false impression that Formula 1 officially replaced grid girls with the drag performers.

Haydn Lane, general manager of corporate affairs and communications at the Australian GP Corporation, told RMIT FactLab via email that grid girls were replaced by “grid kids” in a 2018 decision by Formula 1, while this year’s drag performers were simply additional entertainment. 

“At this year’s Formula 1® Australian Grand Prix, a drag queen show formed part of an off-track entertainment program that included various roving entertainment, music performances and dance groups,” he said.  

“Formula 1® along with the FIA [International Automobile Federation] made the decision to replace ‘Grid Girls’ with ‘Grid Kids’ for all Formula 1® races back in 2018, over five years ago,” he said.

While there is no dictionary definition of a “grid girl”, their role typically included accompanying drivers on the grid and holding their name or number boards, lining the corridor through which drivers walked towards the podium and undertaking promotional activities for race sponsors.

Grid kids have partly replaced grid girls in that they now accompany the drivers on the grid, according to the official F1 body.

For the 2023 Australian Grand Prix, the grid kids were selected from Karting Australia and Girls On Track, an initiative that aims to support girls to enter motorsport and related STEM industries. 

But drag queens, who are typically understood as performers, did not undertake any of the roles of grid girls at the 2023 GP. Instead, they sang and danced in public areas away from the grid.

FactLab found no additional evidence that the drag performers featured on the grid or in any other capacities previously undertaken by grid girls.

When announcing the removal of grid girls from Formula 1 racing in 2018, the then managing director of commercial operations at Formula 1 stated: “While the practice of employing grid girls has been a staple of Formula 1 Grands Prix for decades, we feel this custom does not resonate with our brand values and clearly is at odds with modern day societal norms. We don’t believe the practice is appropriate or relevant to Formula 1 and its fans, old and new, across the world.”

Grid girls often wore tight clothing, which had been criticised as objectifying women and potentially discouraging women from participating in the sport. At the time of the decision by Formula 1, many grid girls, drivers and race administrators opposed the ban.

"Walk-on girls”, who escorted darts players to the stage as part of the Professional Darts Corporation competitions, were also removed in the same month of 2018.