Meet Michael Potts, who has been photographing F1 professionally since 2018 and tells us that “there isn’t part of my job which I don’t love.”
On this new sequence, we communicate to individuals who journey the world working in Formulation 1. We study how they bought their job, what their position includes and what it’s prefer to work and journey for as much as 9 months of the 12 months.
The place are you from and the place are you primarily based?
I’m from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. I’m at present primarily based in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
How did you develop into an F1 photographer?
I began off as a fan, I might take my digicam to each race I attended. Often 2 or 3 a 12 months, typically winter testing and it was actually a ardour however one which I didn’t think about would lead anyplace. I simply cherished doing it. Then one 12 months I bought an F1 Experiences ticket for a balcony in Monaco and a publication noticed the pictures I had taken. After they wanted a photographer for winter testing the next 12 months, they requested me to cowl it for them.
How lengthy have you ever been doing this job and who do you provide your photos to?
I began in 2018 and I’ve labored at 79 races so far. I labored in any respect 24 races final 12 months and I’m planning to work all of them once more in 2025. I work with completely different purchasers, however it’s a mixture of editorial and visitor pictures.
Do you propose your individual journey?
I do all my very own journey planning. The place doable, I share lodging or automobile rent with different photographers. Often I make just a few errors, however usually it really works nicely. I’ve a spreadsheet which covers each day of the race weekend and consists of flights, automobile rent, prepare bookings and lodging. I attempt to keep as near the monitor as doable and customarily rent a automobile. In Azerbaijan, it’s doable to stroll out of your lodge whereas in Singapore, you need to use public transport. The associated fee for all of my F1 journey final 12 months was about €25,000.
How does a typical race week search for you?
I plan the week beginning on the race itself, and work backwards. As soon as I do know the place I wish to be through the race, I can then resolve which components of the circuit to go to through the different classes.
My race weekend normally begins on Thursday, which is Media Day. Right here I’m taking pictures the drivers in press conferences, looking for out the most recent gossip and seeing if any of the groups have introduced attention-grabbing upgrades or livery adjustments.
On Friday, I are inclined to spend the primary F1 follow session within the pits, capturing the automobiles shut up earlier than heading out on monitor for the second session, which at six races this 12 months might be dash qualifying. Right here I’m targeted extra on editorial photos because the situations throughout this session are normally much like the race.
On Saturday, the main target is on qualifying, the place you possibly can typically get pictures of the drivers pushing their automobiles to the restrict. You’re on the lookout for locations the place the automobiles might spark, or simply look wonderful when pushed to the sting. The highest three drivers celebrating after qualifying is a ‘will need to have’ shot.
Sunday is all in regards to the race, discovering the celebrities, the drivers and essentially the most passionate followers. The grid is a tremendous place to focus, it’s so busy, with a lot occurring that it is advisable be on high of your recreation to shoot as a lot as doable.
Then it’s about choosing the right place to seize the beginning of the race. This could possibly be the standard ‘head on’ shot, or perhaps a extra dangerous location if you’re looking for a little bit of drama. Through the race, you might be watching the race unfold and making an attempt to seize the important thing moments, comparable to overtaking strikes and pictures of the automobiles jostling for place. Lastly it is advisable seize the profitable driver climbing out of his automobile, after which the rostrum celebrations.
In between all of this, I’ve particular shopper pictures to take, in addition to photos of visitors and followers. Each spare second is spent enhancing and submitting pictures. My days on the monitor are at all times full on and really lengthy.
Do you ever get any free time within the host metropolis on race weekend?
I get little or no free time at monitor, as a result of there may be at all times enhancing to do, however I attempt to arrive the day earlier than I begin work and keep no less than a day or two longer after ending work. I really like consuming out and making an attempt new locations or going and seeing among the native vacationer websites. There are tracks that I’ve been to a number of instances, so I’ve just a few acquainted haunts I really like going again to.
What are your favorite and least favorite F1 circuits to {photograph} and why?
Monaco is one of the best to {photograph}. We are able to get so near the automobiles, and there’s such an enormous number of completely different pictures accessible. There’s additionally the added glamour of the place and the celebrities who attend. Even when the race generally is a bit boring to observe, it’s palms down one of the best for pictures.
My least favorite might be Montreal. It typically rains, which may make for dramatic images however it’s onerous work on the island. It’s additionally actually onerous to discover a respectable place to remain at an inexpensive value. The native lodges are very grasping and hike up costs greater than each different race we attend. I’ve had so many lodges cancel my reserving as a result of they bought the room for a better value to another person. It’s actually off placing.
What’s your favourite and least favorite F1 host cities or locations and why?
Las Vegas has been wonderful, I’ve taken numerous time to discover the encompassing areas, hiring a automobile and going off into the desert. I didn’t actually discover Vegas itself however the landscapes across the metropolis are sensible.
My least favorite is difficult. Navigating the visitors in Mexico and Brazil is at all times troublesome, as is coping with the warmth at among the races within the Center East, however I feel each race has good points that outweigh the negatives.
What’s essentially the most difficult facet of your job?
I do spend loads of time jet lagged, however I feel the toughest half is planning my days on the monitor. I’ve many assignments every day, so ensuring I do know the temporary nicely for every of them and have sufficient time to finish all of my assignments is at all times a problem. You additionally have to know the way a lot time it takes to get from one a part of the circuit to a different. One other complexity is figuring out the model or kind of photos which are required for every shopper, after which making time to edit the pictures and ship them off to the shopper on the proper time. It’s advanced and I’ve a really full calendar on race weekends.
What’s one of the best a part of your job?
All the things! There isn’t part of my job which I don’t love. Even taking pictures the much less thrilling assignments is rewarding. I work with wonderful folks in many alternative fields and they’re among the greatest at what they do, from the mechanics to the safety workforce. All of us journey collectively so it’s a household away from residence. I get to shoot one of many world’s most excessive profile sporting sequence and take a look at myself in opposition to among the greatest photographers on the planet.
Any recommendation for a younger photographer who wish to get a job in Formulation 1?
{Photograph} as a lot as you possibly can, no matter you possibly can. Get your photos revealed in a newspaper, journal or a web-based publication. Domesticate a optimistic, ‘can do’ perspective and hold pushing your self to supply higher photos.
You additionally assist folks with their very own journey by way of your YouTube channel. Inform us about that.
On my YouTube channel, I publish monitor guides wanting on the historical past of the occasion, lodging ideas, sensible recommendation on find out how to get round and which tickets will provide you with one of the best views for each price range. I additionally do race previews and evaluations, discuss Paddock rumours and publish behind the scenes data. It’s a very enjoyable course of and I really like serving to folks with their questions on watching F1.
The place else can we discover your work?
You’ll be able to view and buy my pictures on my web site, michaelpotts.com. I’m additionally lively on Instagram, X and Threads (@michaelpottsf1).
