Alesi not in favour of F1's new 'grid kids' scheme

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Former Ferrari stalwart Jean Alesi chimed in on Formula 1's 'grid girl' debate which took the fan community by storm last week.

Liberty Media's decision to part with the female presence on the grid this year, and replace it with selected teenage boys and girls, kicked up quite a controversy, but with opinions pretty much sliced down the middle.

Alesi however doesn't approve of the move, either way.

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"I am not in favour of either the abolition of the grid girls or the new grid kid project," the Frenchman told Italy's Motorbox.

"By abolishing the grid girls, we have eliminated a well-oiled system that allowed many women to work.

"I am in favour of highlighting young athletes and drivers, but not in this way," he added.

Former McLaren team coordinator and F1 veteran Jo Ramirez, a man who was already working in F1 when the first gird girl appeared, echoed Alesi's sentiment.

"F1 is losing its way, they try to change something for the sake of changing," Ramirez told Spanish radio Cadena Cope.

"It would have been enough to dress them a little more modestly but in many countries they were wearing the national costume," he added.

"This (ban) is a discrimination against women -- tomorrow they will be prohibited from coming into the circuit altogether. In my opinion, the grid girls offended no one."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.