Formula 1 is stereotypically viewed as a man’s world. With women like Claire Williams, Susie Wolff and Monisha Kaltenborn reaching the top of their professions, this statement itself may be in need of some updating. Instead, the Formula One bosses have focused on grid girls and the split opinion on whether the women add glamour or are a reflection of a sexist era decades out of date. Autoweek spoke to British grid girl Samantha Young to get the feelings of someone now down a job for the year.

Young is no newcomer to the industry and has spent a number of years working with various championships, including the British Touring Car Championship, British GT Championship and Formula 1.

Autoweek: What was your initial reaction to the news Wednesday, and what is your opinion surrounding the 'sexist' image it promotes?

Samantha Young: My initial reaction is that I feel like they’re bowing to pressure. A lot of the industry seems to be making decisions based on what they think grid girls feel, but if you ask any grid girl, not one of us think it’s sexist, exploitative or demeaning. We all love our job, feel very comfortable doing it and do not feel it promoted a sexist image. There are many different jobs in motorsport that women do, whether that be mechanic, engineer or truckie. Grid girl is just another job.

If I look at my job as grid girl for Demon Tweeks (in the British GT), I’ve been there for several years, I’m just as much a part of the team as the drivers, mechanics and engineers, and they treat me with the same amount of respect. I am consulted with what I want to wear and what I want to do.

AW: But can you understand why the decision has been made and why some people may have the opinion that it promotes sexism?

SY: I don’t think it promotes sexism at all. Just because I’m a grid girl it doesn’t mean that I couldn’t be a mechanic if I wanted to. The two are not mutually exclusive. It would be sexist if I were told that I could only be a grid girl because I’m a woman, but that’s not the case -- women are still doing the same jobs as men in motorsport.

At the end of the day, as a woman, it is my choice what I do, whether I choose to be a grid girl, a mechanic, a footballer, a nurse, a HR consultant (my full-time job). People shouldn’t be allowed to make that decision for me. It would be like me saying some people don’t like journalists, it’s old-fashioned to report news in that manner, so let’s get rid of journalists, it’s absolutely no different.

AW: Do you think that scrapping the role is actually more damaging and more sexist than if they had done nothing? In recent times, especially at Silverstone, the clothing provided involved a lot less Lycra than before. Was that a step in the right direction from your point of view?

SY: I do think scrapping the role is more damaging. By scrapping the role, they’re removing free choice. It’s like saying you’re a woman, you can do what you like, but only if everyone agrees it’s ok. You don’t see the same fuss being made over grid boys, but it’s exactly the same! I don’t think going towards or away from Lycra is a step anywhere, really. I would never wear an outfit I’m not comfortable with, and Demon Tweeks would never put me in anything I wasn’t comfortable with. I think the point being largely ignored by many is that it is our choice, we all have free will and ability to say yes or no to a job, or yes or no to an outfit.

AW: Would you like to see drivers/teams given the choice to have a grid girl/boy/child/mascot so that they can decide what best represents their brand?

SY: Absolutely, teams/drivers and companies should be able to decide for themselves what they want to do. The same way a grid girl chooses to do the job. I’ll be back on the British GT grid with Demon Tweeks this year and will continue to represent them for as long as they’ll have me.

AW: If you could, what message would you want to send to the F1 bosses? Given what you've said, I'm guessing that you would want to be listened to and have your free will accepted more.

SY: Pretty much! I just think that grid girls are part of the tradition, and for those of us who are not mechanics, engineers or truckies, etc., it’s a way to be involved in the sport -- a sport which I love and I’ve been around since I was 7 years old. Someone I knew owned a race team, so I grew up at race circuits. My school holidays were spent at Spa, Dijon, Estoril, etc. Whilst all my school friends were off on all-inclusive holidays, I was polishing race cars. I didn’t want to be a mechanic or engineer, so choosing to be a grid girl gives me a way to stay involved in motorsport -- just as much a part of the team without having to retrain into a different career. All I’m asking is don’t remove my ability to choose!

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