F1 Spa Francorchamps 2022

I've loved photographing races for years. But Formula 1 photography? I haven't done that in ages, and I've partly deliberately avoided it. In 2010, I'd just bought my first SLR. My first race event was the qualifying session for the Belgian Grand Prix with my father, just with a simple standing-room ticket. It was fantastic to see F1 in person and capture heroes like Schumacher, Alonso, Button, Hamilton, and Vettel. And it went really fast there, especially through Blanchimont, where we mostly stood. It was striking, though, how even with standing-room-only access, you'd be turned away from the grandstands or the paddock. The following year, when I joined FIA GT1 in Zolder and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, it was a world of difference in terms of access and opportunities. That's why I've mainly stayed more focused on sports car racing.

But during my assignment at the TT in Assen for Global Tickets, it emerged in conversation with the client that they were also organizing a (larger) campsite during the Formula 1 event in Spa and wanted to go all out. And so, just before the Spa Grand Prix, an assignment was finally secured. I was asked to shoot a report at the Formula 1 for Global Tickets!

For Global Tickets, it was especially important to capture the atmosphere of the event and, of course, to get images of their campsite for promotion in the coming years. But I was also going to catch the action on the track!

So, on the Thursday before the Grand Prix, I started with a photoshoot at the campsite. I made my rounds to capture some great commercial images of the grounds and the facilities. Instagrammers Desiree & Virginia of @formula1_twins were also there. As well-known F1 fans and influencers, they regularly create sponsored content for Global Tickets. So I was able to include them in the report about the campsite. Luckily, the weather was a bit better than that one Friday in Assen with the models...

After the campsite, I quickly headed down the hill to the circuit. There, all sorts of things were already being organized for the fans on Thursday. This also served as a way to make up for last year's cancelled race, which was never really a race. In the fan zone, drivers were interviewed on stage. Visitors could make pit stops, participate in simulator races, dance to DJ performances, and more. Franky Zapata also raced an F1 car with his jetpack, and there were demonstrations of historic F1 cars.

There was also supposed to be a pit walk at the end of the day. When I was looking for directions, I came across the orange lion. He's a mascot who travels to all the European F1 races and frequently appears in the media. He was also confused about where to go, and at 32 degrees Celsius, it was incredibly hot in a suit. But he was kind enough to pose for a few photos.

It turned out that fans were being let onto the track through a gate at Eau Rouge. Afterward, you could do a track walk towards La Source, via the start-finish line where historic F1 cars were displayed, and then on to the pit entrance for the pit walk. There, of course, it was mostly crowded with the top teams from Red Bull, Mercedes, and Ferrari. But further on, pit stops were also being practiced, and you could see more of the cars.

From Friday on, it was time for track action. The first day at the track saw some drizzle, and at the end of the first free practice session, there was a heavy downpour. This made for some great shots of the cars in the rain, of course!

Fortunately, the rest of the weekend remained dry. Max Verstappen was dominant throughout the race weekend. On Saturday, he took pole position in a commanding fashion. Due to a grid penalty for an engine change, he ultimately started 13th, but he quickly recovered!

I'm thrilled that Global Tickets also gave me the opportunity to shoot Formula 1. It was fantastic to finally have Max Verstappen in front of my camera. I've already ordered a print of the main photo for this article. It's a photo I'd planned beforehand, taking my spot in the drizzle well in advance. Fine-tuning the settings for Formula 2 and historic cars, then just taking the shot—even when you zoom in, you can still see Max's nose in his helmet—awesome! Would you also like a print of one of my photos (of other events, trips, or Sint Philipsland), or are you looking for an event photographer? Feel free to contact me.
Finally, as always, you can check out the rest of the album below!