Where?  Hankook 6H ABU DHABI (Yas Marina Circuit)

When?  Saturday 20 January

Who?  Grove Racing

What?  Canon R6

                RF 24-105 mm

                48mm

                 1/40

                 F14

                 ISO 100

Why?  Shooting at the Yas Marina Circuit without sneaking into the W Abu Dhabi hotel is not possible. This iconic hotel, which is partially built over the racetrack, contains a nice rooftop that gives you the opportunity to shoot the cars top down, often blind, in the midst of the white steel structure. Be patient, get the car lined up between the steel support beams, and you can get some amazing, complex shots. 

Small point, do not try to get into the hotel wearing your media vest. You’ll feel compelled to grab lunch at the W Lounge on the ground floor and you’ll miss most of the afternoon session! 

Where?  Hankook 24H DUBAI (Dubai Autodrome)

When?  Wednesday 24 January

Who?  Team Parker Racing

What?  Canon R6

                Sigma Art 35 mm

                35mm

                1/8000 

                F1.4

                ISO 100

Why?  What more is there to say about this image? I don’t even think I need to run through the technical aspects of this shot, or the aesthetic I was going for. 

All eyes are instead on this legendary car – the Bentley Continental GT3 – that competed in Dubai. Never have I received so many comments after posting my images online that I did when I posted my selection of this absolute beast. Oh, and, if possible, the soundtrack was even more incredible. 

No further comments necessary.

Where?  Hankook 12H MUGELLO (Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello)

When?  Friday 22 March

Who?  CP Racing

What?  Canon R6

               RF-100-500 mm

               200mm

               1/320

               F4

               ISO 100

Why?  Mugello is one of those tracks, amidst the glorious Tuscan hills, that is very attractive for spectators. When shooting at this circuit, I often step away from the service roads where we usually operate to explore the surrounding areas for new angles. I’ll even dare to claim that the best views are not beside the track but from a distance.

This shot of CP Racing for example was taken from the rise above turn three (Poggio Secco). If you don’t mind a few leaves in your face, you can really feel the undulating nature of the track. And yes, Charles and his guys were warned to stay off the sausage kerbs.

Where?  Hankook 12H SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS (Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps)

When?  Sunday 21 April

Who?  Vortex V8 / RD Signs – Siauliai racing team / Red Ant Racing

What?  Canon R6

               RF-24-105 mm

               24 mm

               1/500

               F4

               ISO 100

Why?  One of the biggest challenges involved with shooting at a track you’ve worked dozens and dozens of times before – like I have at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps – is finding new angles to capture the same action from a different viewpoint. Normally, a photographer would get as close to that ‘viewing hole’ in the fence as possible for a clean shot down the Kemmel Straight and into Les Combes.

Instead, I took a couple of steps back. That meant I could frame this fight involving the Hofor Racing Mercedes in a way you may not have seen before without losing that iconic Belgian ‘racing fog’ in the background.

Where?  Hankook 12H SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS (Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps)

When?  Saturday 20 April

Who?  Hofor Racing / Haas RT

What?  Canon R6

               RF-100-500 mm

               500mm

               1/800

               F7.1

               ISO 1600

Why?  We all know that the Ardennes can be challenging when it comes to weather conditions but this last edition of the Hankook 12H SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS was out of this world. Sun, rain, snow, hail, ice... you name it, we had it all.

It’s hard to pick one image that shows all of the conditions we battled that weekend, but this GT3 fight probably does it best: slippery conditions; limited visibility; a demanding sequence of corners. Pretty sure the normally flat-out Eau Rouge-Raidillon presented a very different challenge for drivers that weekend.

Where?  Hankook 24H PORTIMAO (Autódromo Internacional do Algarve)

When?  Thursday 9 May

Who?  MRS GT-Racing

What?  Canon R6

               RF-24-105

               24mm

               1/25

               F18

               ISO 100

Why?  The coolest shots, but also the most challenging ones as motorsport photographer, are the car-to-car rolling shots. Sitting backwards in the trunk of whatever vehicle you’re using as the camera car (for this shot, it was my rented Kia Rio), on a bumpy track, and at speeds of up to 50kph is not the most comfortable. Especially when you have to match your camera shutter speed with that of the car being shot. And ideally, you want to slow that down even more in order to keep that sensation of speed alive in the final image. Do this for three or four laps, and it gets very disorienting.   

An empty stomach and stocking up on travel sickness pills are highly recommended if you want to give this a go.

Where?  Hankook 24H PORTIMAO (Autódromo Internacional do Algarve)

When?  Saturday 11 May

Who?  Herberth Motorsport

What?  Canon R6

               RF-70-200

               158mm

               1/40

               F4

               ISO 320

Why?  Although rolling shots are my favourite, sunsets are a very close second: fans of the 24H SERIES will have seen through the years just how stunning the sunsets are in the Middle East, for example. 

Portimão – sorry, the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve – certainly didn’t let us down either this year! This particular image was taken quite late in the day, but early in the week, giving me a good reference point for the race itself. There are some really beautiful sunset colours leaking over the mountains in the background. 

Herberth Motorsport were quite considerate running a yellow rear spoiler and wing mirrors that weekend too! 

Where?  Hankook 24H PORTIMAO (Autódromo Internacional do Algarve)

When?  Saturday 11 May

Who?  Saintéloc Junior Team

What?  Canon R6

               RF-100-500 mm

               200mm

               1/400

               F9

               ISO 100

Why?  One of the apps you need as a motorsport photographer is called ‘Sun Tracker’ (or ‘Sun Seeker’ if you want to splash out and don’t mind paying €9). As you’ve probably guessed, this app tells you the path of the sun so you can then choose the best locations to shoot the sunset. 

This particular location, on the outside of turn 11, is one of the best to capture the sunset, but also one of the most challenging: as you’re shooting almost directly into the sun, the cars are coming blindly at you, and still at high-speed. For the best result in this position, you’ll want to go old-school and full-manual rather than autofocus to stop the camera fighting back against you.

Where?  Hankook 12H MISANO (Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli)

When?  Thursday 4 July

Who?  Prime Speed Sport

What?  Canon R6

               RF-100-500 mm

               159mm

               1/13

               F25

               ISO 100

Why?  Shooting at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli is not what you’d call easy. Known most famously as a MotoGP track, Misano is extremely flat and, also, surprisingly fast, with big run-off areas and gravel traps. As a result, a large portion of the trackside location are marked as ‘no-go’ red zones. On top of that, when shooting in the midst of summer, the sheer amount of heat haze means getting sharp and crisp shots I always try to pursue becomes a real challenge as well.

To deal with all of this means getting creative, and, usually, going full-blown manual behind the camera lens. And when you do that, you produce an image like this, which really should give you an idea just how quick these GT cars can run at Misano.  

Where?  Hankook 12H MISANO (Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli)

When?  Friday 5 July

Who?  Sergio Pires (Haas RT)

What?  Canon R6

               RF-28 mm

               28mm

               1/1250

               F2.8

               ISO 100

Why?  This image is the reason my nickname among my peers – ‘Mister Pancake’ – was born. The 28mm lens I was using in the pitlane at Misano during Free Practice is so small and flat that it looks like a Japanese pancake, hence the name. 

Like any other camera and/or lens, the 28mm is just a tool to create the image I have in my mind’s eye. Like this one of a very focused Sergio Pires, waiting for his stint aboard Haas RT’s Audi R8. He’s concentrating so much, I’m not even sure he noticed ‘Mr Pancake’ taking this sneaky shot!

Or maybe Sergio’s a waffle guy instead…

Where?  Hankook 24H BARCELONA (Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya)

When?  Friday 13 September

Who?  Jens Klingmann (Poulsen Motorsport)

What?  Canon R6

               Sigma Art 85 mm

               85mm

               1/125   

               F1.4

               ISO 200

Why?  Back to my favorite lens of all time, the 1.4 Art series. This ‘through the side window’ shot, combined with those famous BMW M racing colours on Jens’ helmet and the sun rays hitting the cars cockpit, give a unique, retro vibe that I just love. 

The fact that the blue 24H SERIES banner in the background, and the red seats of the grandstand behind that, are in the correct ‘BMW M’ order just frames this shot perfectly.

Where?  Hankook 24H BARCELONA (Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya)

When?  Sunday 15 September

Who?  Dennis Bohn (Lionspeed GP)

What?  Canon R6

               Sigma Art 85 mm

               85mm

               1/100   

               F1.4

               ISO 400

Why?  Why centralize your subject when there is so much more to see and capture around them?

Shot early morning during the Hankook 24H BARCELONA, the lighting conditions, the setup inside the garage, and the fact that the Lionspeed GP mechanics keep their ‘office’ so clean, was a perfect setup to capture this reflection of Dennis Bohn as he got ready for his next stint.

And yes, well-spotted, Dennis is wearing his father Ralf’s spare helmet!