Austrian Grand Prix grid girls used to dress up in traditional dirndl clothing

The sexy grid girls would be seen each year wearing the traditional dresses on the track until they were banned in 2018, although that didn't stop the Red Bull Ring owner from having them at the race

Ben Haslam

13:10, 10 Jul 2022

[Grid girls wearing traditional "Dirndl" dresses get ready before the start of the Austrian Grand Prix in 2018]

Grid girls wearing traditional "Dirndl" dresses get ready before the start of the Austrian Grand Prix in 2018(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Austrian Grand Prix grid girls used to do things differently before the game moved on from the historic tradition in 2018.

Grid girls are now a thing of the past, but the decision to leave them in the past as the sport took a step into the modern day left behind what had become a bit of a tradition in Austria. The dazzling grid girls would have more clothes on than expected when they would appear in Spielberg as they would dress in traditional Austrian clothing.

The babes would don dirndls, a dress that you typically see in German-speaking parts of the Alps and has become synonymous with the German beer festival Oktoberfest. Despite the strong German connections, the dresses are commonly seen in the likes of Austria, Lichtenstein and Switzerland.

Grid girls wearing the traditional dress only really hit headlines in 2018 when there was an uproar over models appearing at the Austrian Grand Prix wearing dirndls despite grid girls being banned from the sport starting that season. Red Bull Ring owner Dietrich Mateschitz wasn't prepared to part ways with them.

"An incredible puppet show. Formula 1 has more important things to do than debate grid girls," he argued in a Korean newspaper. So the grid girls returned despite the ban.

Do you think it was right to get rid of grid girls? Let us know in the comments section

[Grid girls during qualifying at the Austrian Grand Prix in 2016]

Grid girls during qualifying at the Austrian Grand Prix in 2016(Image: Getty Images)

While they weren't allowed on track per the rules, Red Bull Ring spokesman Stefan Hotschl confirmed: "They will have tasks off the track in various areas."

Article continues below

One of those tasks was a Miss Grand Prix 2018 contest, which included a bathing suit competition. According to The Parc Ferme, the bikini-clad girls battled it out to claim the title.

This year's Austrian Grand Prix will be starting later this afternoon, as Max Verstappen looks to extend his lead at the top of the World Championship standings.

[Dailystar Icon]

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Choose Daily Star as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.

[Google Preferred Source Badge]

At Reach and across our entities we and our partners use information collected through cookies and other identifiers from your device to improve experience on our site, analyse how it is used and to show personalised advertising. You can opt out of the sale or sharing of your data, at any time clicking the "Do Not Sell or Share my Data" button at the bottom of the webpage. Please note that your preferences are browser specific. Use of our website and any of our services represents your acceptance of the use of cookies and consent to the practices described in our Privacy Notice and Terms and Conditions.