2022 F1 Article - Eng

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2022 F1 experience Article

It all started in 1995 in the "G" stand of the José Carlos Pace Circuit - Interlagos, when I became interested in photography. But it was only in 2022 that I managed to photograph professionally, and with credentials, the renowned world motorsport competition, Formula 1.

The “Formula 1 Heineken Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2022”, the official name, was held between the 11th and 13th of November. And for the second time it hosted one of the three “sprint” races of the season.

Fans invade the Interlagos track to

watch the awards ceremony on the podium.

With the Football World Cup at the end of the year, due to the heat in the host country - Qatar, many Brazilian photographers were already focused or about to follow the teams.

It coincided that the World Drivers' Championship had already been decided in favor of Max Verstappen, so many photographers from other continents didn't come either.

So, I talked to my friend Rodolfo Buhrer, and we lined up for me to cover for him, who would be in charge of the World Cup. I was accredited by the German agency ATP Images - of which he is the correspondent, and who gave me full support through its Editor-in-Chief Arthur THILL.

Two-time champion Max Verstappen prepares for the second free practice - in the pit lane. On the left during training, at turn 10.

Two-time world champion Max Verstappen prepares for second free practice session - in the pit lane. On the left during practice, at turn 10.

During the Formula 1 weekend in São Paulo, the entire hotel network is full due to the race, so it was very important to book a hotel in advance. I decided to arrive on Thursday (10), the day before the first training session, to get used to it and gather as much information as possible. I took the flight from Florianópolis to Congonhas airport, leaving at 7am and arriving at 8am in the capital of São Paulo. I went straight to the racetrack, at the press accreditation desk, where I picked up my credential and a parking sticker that the agency is entitled to as it is accredited for the entire season.

Charles Leclerc during the Sprint race on Saturday. Turn 8 with Turn 6 in the background.

Arriving at the press room at 9am, I introduced myself to the head of the communications team, Marília Frias, and the head of the official photography team, Beto Issa. I also received a vest to wear “on the track” and stickers for the cameras - each one must have a sticker proving that the equipment belongs to an accredited professional. I took a locker to leave my suitcase and equipment that I wasn't using during the outings, and I chose a place at the table to be my station - there is the side for journalists and photographers - and so they demarcate their chosen place by placing a sticker .

After preparing the table and equipment, it's time to go up to the Paddock - the area behind the pits, where everyone involved with the F1 circus circulates, from mechanics and media to drivers, team managers and FIA directors. At this time the agenda is to photograph these characters, as well as the pilots arriving.

Still on Thursday, anyone interested can sign a list requesting access to the pit lane (front of the pits) for free practice. Access to the pit lane is much more restricted in qualifying, Sprint and Race races - only for organization and pool agencies, as well as access to the pit wall - the wall where all team managers are located. For these two areas there is a specific vest for each of them.

On this day, some pilots and engineers do the track walk, when they walk around the track observing its conditions.

Friday (11/11)

The day started with topics from Renault - from the same group and supplier of engines for the Alpine team, which I was also responsible for covering Rodolfo.

At the race track, it was time to photograph the Formula 1 cars from inside the track for the first time. From 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm the first free practice took place (Free Practice - 1st Session - FP1). In its first part, I positioned myself at the end of Senna's “S", right at the exit of the pits. Afterwards, I went to the “Orange Tree Club” area, on the Laranjinha curve where I took records from the last level of the racetrack's internal grandstand.

After each training I went back to the press room, where I downloaded the material and sent it, following the flow in Photo Mechanic: 1- ingest, which consists of downloading the photos and inserting a generic caption in the info file of each photo;

2- basic selection and editing (usually just cutting/cropping);

3- at the same time as inserting the name of each pilot - using the Code Replacements option, already sent via FTP to the agency in Germany.

The back-up of material produced during the day was done at night, upon arrival at the hotel.
In the second session, from 4pm to 5pm, the Classification Training took place, as in Interlagos, on Saturday, the Sprint Race takes place.

Photo 1: view of turns 1 and 2 - Senna's “S";

Photo 2: Coffee Climb

Photo 3: view of the middle - between turns 6 and 11

Approximately one hour before each training session begins, two vans leave (10 minutes apart) from the press room to take photographers along the circuit. Afterwards, they are also collected. This time I used this transport and got off at Curva do Bico de Pato. I walked between turns 7 and 10, and Subida do Café (between turns 13 and 14).

This is a “steep” part because the “Coffee Hill” is a climb that leads to Reta dos Boxes/Larada - a higher level, while the previous curves are on a lower level, and close to this climb.

At turn 14, on the inside, a window was opened on the screen, where I took photos with the fisheye lens framing a grandstand in the background. Always testing using a slow shutter speed to make the speed of the cars very clear.

Then I moved further down towards turns 10 and 8. There are some trees on the slopes, and they gave me the idea of using them to frame the cars.

The rain started to fall at the end of training and, afraid of not passing the van at the end of training, I walked back to the press room.

Saturday (11/12)

New day, less anxious and more in the rhythm of wanderings, recordings and editing, I was surprised with the approval to be able to stay in the pit lane area during free practice (Free Practice - 2nd Session - FP2). When there is no movement of cars/training, photographers are allowed to circulate in front of the pits.

I received a different vest, which I put over mine, and from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm I stayed in this space between the front of the pits and the car circulation area in the Box.

It's a unique situation and very different from “going to the track”, as you need to be very careful with the movement of cars (a siren sounds when a car enters the pits).

As it is a critical area, with car movement and lots of photographers, I decided not to take the 400mm lens due to its size. I used the 70-200mm, which, when used with a mirrorless camera, can have its focal length increased using the sensor's crop factor (60%, 1.6x), and I did so with this lens on the EOS R, aiming for more details .

The photos in this session focus on the drivers getting ready, talking to engineers and team managers, putting on helmets, getting in and out of the car, as well as photos of the cars entering and leaving the pits. Many teams take the opportunity when they are “collecting” the car at the end of training to do a pitstop practice, changing the tires.

Since 2021, the FIA has implemented the Print Race or Sprint Qualifying, which consists of a short race of 100km or 30min, which is held on Saturday, in some stages of F1. In 2022, Interlagos hosted this contest for the second time, which on this circuit consists of 24 laps.
The start was scheduled for 4:30 pm, but the surprises of that day were not over yet. I had signed the list to have access to the Start Grid, and I was approved - access is authorized by a sticker glued to the credential string. Thus, I was able to stay up to 10 minutes before the start on the grid, recording all the movement as the cars arrived in their places for the start, as well as all the mechanics' preparations to get the cars ready for the race.

As I was on the Grid until 10 minutes before the start, the choice to follow the start of the Sprint Race was Senna's “S”, one of the closest places, where I walked to a “stand” set up for photographers.
As it is a short competition, I spent a little time there and then headed to the pits, as at the end, on the finishing straight, there is a prize for the first three placed.

Photo 1: FP2, Sergio Perez on the Pit Lane
Sprint Race:

Photo 2: Before, on the Grid, Credit: Carsten Horst;

Photo 3: During, Verstappen and Russel duel on the “S" of Senna”;

Photo 4: After, Hamilton waves to the crowd going to the Sprint Race ceremony

Sunday (11/13)

On race day there is a lot of activity behind the scenes, the main day of the weekend attracts many celebrities. TV presenter Luciano Huck, together with world surfing champion Gabriel Medina, visited Lewis Hamilton's pits. From surfing, champion Ítalo Ferreira was also present.

From football, the former left-back of the Brazilian National Team and Real Madrid, and now FIFA ambassador, Roberto Carlos, who presented the Spanish driver Fernando Alonso with a shirt from the Madrid team.

Current F1 ambassador and former driver of the category, Felipe Massa, former F1 driver Rubens Barrichello, and the family that left me teary-eyed, bringing me many memories, the Fittipaldi, with Christian, Wilsinho (father of Christian ) and his brother, two-time world champion Emerson. All three competed in Formula 1, and the brothers also owned a team that competed in the competition for eight seasons between 1975 and 1982.

Various actions take place between one training session and another, many of them traditional and many renewed, as is the case with the presentation of the drivers to the public at the Driver’s Wall/Pilots Parade, which took place at 1pm. Previously done in a truck, today it is done in historic cars.

Photo: Hamilton between turns 7 and 8

Not ending the surprises, once again I was awarded access to the Grid, now for the main event of the weekend, the "Formula 1 Heineken Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2022" race, of 71 laps, which started at 3pm.
Like the previous day, I followed all the movement on the starting straight, the drivers arriving, the national anthem, the various famous people circulating before the start, and 10 minutes before, I went to the stage at the end of Senna's “S” (turns 1 and 2).

I followed the start from there, and after a few moments I walked through the center of the race track to the set of turns 6 to 11: Laranjinha, “S”, Pinheirinho, Bico de Pato and Mergulho.

This part is cool, because with a little movement, we can completely change our picture. In a few meters of walking we can take photos of the sequence of turns 6, 7 and 8, and at a certain angle lining up turns 7 and 8, we photograph the cars from the front with a painting of Ayrton Senna in his iconic gesture when lifting the trophy victory in the 1991 Brazilian GP (Hamilton in the photo on the side).

In turns 9 and 10, climbing the ravine and having as a frame some branches of a dozen trees. Also a shot of the car from behind in turns 10 and 11, as well as a nice shot of the car climbing between the same turns.

Aware of the approach of the end of the race, the photographers are heading to the paddock, in an area with access to the podium, where a line of photographers forms. At the end of the race, access opens and some are in the pit lane facing the arrival of the cars, while others go up to an area above the pit hall, which is in front of the podium. Escaping from the crowd, I went to the top, to be in front and on the same level as the award.
Riders arrive, celebrate with my mechanics and team members and head up to the Champagne party.

After all the celebration we went back to editing, sending, arranging the equipment and heading to the airport. This time the destination was Guarulhos Airport, departing at 11pm, arriving early the next morning in Florianópolis.

Photo 1: view of the track between turns 9 and 10

Photo 2: result of the view between the trees,

Fernando Alonso followed by Alex Albon

Thanks

Rodolfo Buhrer, for all his trust in placing his work in my hands, the contact with ATP Images, and the German agency, Arthur Thill. To the GP São Paulo Staff, starting with Francisco Mattos who opened the doors for me to the Marília Frias press office, who gave me several tips and explained all my doubts about the accreditation process, and to the images commander Beto Issa, who He was always very helpful, he answered me and clarified everything with great patience and humility.

Numerous conversations with Duda Bairros, who also supported me in one of the Renault issues, José Mário Dias, a great reference and we exchanged many ideas, and my brother Carsten Horst, who also took a photo for me on the Grid before the Race Sprint.

To the colleagues close to my table who we exchanged many ideas and experiences with: Sebastião Moreira and Fernando Bizerra from EFE, Amanda Perobelli and Ricardo Moraes - from Reuters, Evaristo Sá from AFP and Miguel Costa Júnior, who has many stories and who went through several eras of motorsport.

The Renault team, led by Tatiana Yagura.

And the most important people in my life, who gave the greatest possible support for me to be there: Ana Paula Aragão and Catarina.

Pit Lane Gallery