How can you pick just ten photographs from 300 000? That was the challenge I was given when asked to present my best images from the 2022 Formula 1 season. Check out my favourites below.
Season opener
Season opener, Bahrain. Mercedes had unveiled this incredibly radical car. With size zero sidepods it looked like a car from the future. The talk was that Mercedes had discovered something new, something that would make them unstoppable, again. That they hadn't topped the testing time sheets was only because they were sand bagging and now the racing was about to start we would see their true potential. I like the way the car moves into the shot here, the position of the rear tyre gives you a great sense of proximity.
Leclerc lays a marker
Rather than Mercedes coming out on top in Bahrain it was Ferrari, and the next shot comes from Charles celebrating victory in the opening round. This was huge for Ferrari, their first victory since Singapore in 2019. They had spent 2 years in the wilderness and now it looked like all that hard work in the winter was paying off.
Mr Monaco
Lets jump ahead to Max Verstappen in Monaco. I have taken this through the barriers at the swimming pool section. It is a great place to shoot from as you can really close to the cars as they sweep past. Monaco was great damage limitation for Max as despite qualifying behind the two Ferrari's he ended up ahead of his main championship rival. That race was won by Checo and Ferrari protested the result. It took hours for the victory to be confirmed and the team celebration was delayed until it was almost dark. Checo made up for the wait, somersaulting into the pool and then grabbing everyone he could and tossed them in. This was a terrifying moment, he looked at me and I was scared I would be next in, cameras and all.
Zhou's horror crash
Scary moments - there was none that came close to Zhou Guanyu's horror crash at the start of the British Grand Prix. Zhou's car was launched into the air landing upside down and then flew at pace just past where I was standing. Seeing the driver trapped in his cockpit as sparks flew round his head was terrifying.
Alonso and Hamilton collide
A few races later it was the seven-time World Champion who was launched heavenward. This time over the wheel of Fernando Alonso, when Hamilton turned in on him. It was a spectacular moment where his F1 car was completely airborne. I had chosen this spot to shoot the first lap from because it is the first braking zone after a massive straight and there is a good chance that someone is going to get it wrong.
Running up that hill
During the race, I managed to get this image of Daniel Ricciardo driving up the hill towards Raidillon, it's a slow shutterspeed shot taken at ⅕ of a second. I love how the car is nice and crisp but the painted track blurs beautifully giving you a sense of speed.
Unstoppable Max
But the moment of that race is definitely Max celebrating the win, a win that could be one of those career defining wins. On Sunday, he just looked so much faster than everyone else. It was a race where he appears to be on such a different plane, not even his own team mate could get near him. The fist pump the passion resonated in this shot.
Orange Army
Max was on top in the next race in Zandvoort, this shot comes from the fearsome Hugenholtz Bocht during the race, and you can see how far he is from his nearest competitors - there is no one else in shot. Just the sea of orange in the background.
Monza special
Monza this year was special for Ferrari, at least it was supposed to be. The team arrived with a special livery which did look stunning. They managed to claim a pole position, in this photo you see Charles raising his arm in celebration, his glorious yellow race suit standing out against the dark background in the late afternoon light. Sadly for Ferrari the race didn't go the way they had hoped. It was the final body blow that they never looked like recovering from.
A sport mourns
Monza was also the weekend we learnt about the passing of Queen Elizabeth II of the UK. I got this shot of Gasly in the pits, with the Elizabeth Reigns cypher displayed on his Halo in Her Majesty's memory.
Exhausted in Singapore
In Singapore Perez held off Leclerc for two hours in horrible humidity. After the race he was exhausted and had collapsed. Here Sainz is coming over to him. It's unusual to see a driver so overwhelmed after a race as they are so fit.
Celebrations in Austin
Max won again in Texas and here I was lucky to be standing next to Kelly Piquet, his girlfriend, as he came over to celebrate with her. It is lovely to capture these human moments, these times when you can see a driver's true feelings and see him share those with people he loves.
Red Bull end Mercedes dominance
Red Bull clinched the constructors title in Austin, and this shot of the team celebration shows how much that victory means to them - ending years of Mercedes dominance. I've tried to shoot this at a very fast shutter speed to ensure I capture each and every drop of champagne and Red Bull that is flying in the air.
Unleashing the power
The final race in Abu Dhabi traditionally ends with the main protagonists celebrating with donuts. Here is a shot of Perez appearing in a cloud of tyre smoke. It is an amazing moment to see F1 cars unleash that power and a great way to end the season.
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