Formula 1 introduces more changes ahead of 2018 season

It seems Formula 1 (F1) isn’t just changing some of the technical specs of its race cars this season. The motorsport will now start later in the day and replace grid girls with children.

Related: Formula 1 unveils provisional 2018 schedule

Let’s start with the race schedule. To accommodate a wider audience, F1 races this year will start a little bit later compared to the 2017 season. There are two major changes to the time schedule.

The first is that the main race will start ten minutes past the hour to allow audiences watch the pre-race tension/emotion brought by their F1 heroes. Second, European and Brazilian race weekends will start an hour later. This way F1 won’t have to compete/clash against the upcoming FIFA World Cup and get more people to watch the race itself.

Speaking of people, F1 has also decided to stop the practice of “using” grid girls beginning this season.

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.

Sean Bratches
Managing Director, Commercial Operations at Formula 1

Instead, F1 will now have “Grid Kids.” Through a partnership with the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), local children and their families will be able to be part of the race weekend of the pinnacle of motorsport.

The kids, who are already involved in motorsport via karting of junior Formula E, will be chosen by their respective local clubs via merit or lottery. The lucky 20 will stand alongside their favorite drivers as they prepare for the race while their immediate family will get paddock access for the race day.

F1 will choose Grid Kids for every race in the calendar and in its support races such as Formula 2 and GP3. Don’t you wish you were a kid again? I do.