COTA Girls pose for a photoshoot following the USGP kick-off event, The Starting Grid

// The History of the Gird Girl

Known as the Race Queen in Japan, Pit Babe in Britain, Pretties in Thailand, Racing Model in Korea, there are many naming conventions for what the majority of us refer to as Grid Girls.

According to racing lore and legend, Rosa Ogawa was the first ever grid girl. Rosa first appeared in the late 1960s motor races in Japan to represent race winners, and as such cemented the grid girl as an icon at the race tracks. Officially, F1 grid girls hold up the grid number for their racer on the grid before races. They also welcome and cheer the three F1 racers who top the podium at each race.