F1 on right track with grid: McLaren boss

McLaren boss Zak Brown has backed Formula One's move to use "grid kids" instead of female models, seeing it as a positive step towards broadening the sport's appeal to a younger audience.

Formula One announced on Monday it would use budding racers to stand next to the drivers' cars as part of the pre-race ceremonies.

The youngsters will be chosen by their national motorsport clubs on merit, or by lottery, from among those competing in karting or junior series.

The sport had revealed last week, to the delight of some fans and anger of others, that it was phasing out the walk-on models who have been a feature of the starting grid for decades.

Brown said he had given little thought previously to the use of models, with the starting grid a high-pressure hive of activity before races.

"Did they need to change it? I think there's a lot of things that need to change in Formula One," he said of the sport's owners Liberty Media.

"Going after a younger audience is certainly something they need to do."