Meet Michael Potts, who has been photographing F1 professionally since 2018 and tells us that “there isn’t a part of my job which I don’t love.”
In this new series, we speak to people who travel the world working in Formula 1. We learn about how they got their job, what their role involves and what it’s like to work and travel for up to nine months of the year.
Where are you from and where are you based?
I’m from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. I’m currently based in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
How did you become an F1 photographer?
I started off as a fan, I would take my camera to every race I attended. Usually 2 or 3 a year, often winter testing and it was really a passion but one that I didn’t imagine would lead anywhere. I just loved doing it. Then one year I got an F1 Experiences ticket for a balcony in Monaco and a publication saw the images I had taken. When they needed a photographer for winter testing the following year, they asked me to cover it for them.
How long have you been doing this job and who do you supply your images to?
I started in 2018 and I’ve worked at 79 races to date. I worked at all 24 races last year and I’m planning to work them all again in 2025. I work with different clients, but it is a mix of editorial and guest photography.
Do you plan your own travel?
I do all my own travel planning. Where possible, I share accommodation or car hire with other photographers. Occasionally I make a few errors, but generally it works well. I have a spreadsheet which covers every day of the race weekend and includes flights, car hire, train bookings and accommodation. I try to stay as close to the track as possible and generally hire a car. In Azerbaijan, it’s possible to walk from your hotel while in Singapore, you can use public transport. The cost for all of my F1 travel last year was about €25,000.
How does a typical race week look for you?
I plan the week starting at the race itself, and work backwards. Once I know where I want to be during the race, I can then decide which parts of the circuit to go to during the other sessions.
My race weekend usually starts on Thursday, which is Media Day. Here I am shooting the drivers in press conferences, trying to find out the latest gossip and seeing if any of the teams have brought interesting upgrades or livery changes.
On Friday, I tend to spend the first F1 practice session in the pits, capturing the cars close up before heading out on track for the second session, which at six races this year will be sprint qualifying. Here I am focused more on editorial images as the conditions during this session are usually similar to the race.
On Saturday, the focus is on qualifying, where you can often get shots of the drivers pushing their cars to the limit. You are looking for places where the cars may spark, or just look amazing when pushed to the edge. The top three drivers celebrating after qualifying is a ‘must have’ shot.
Sunday is all about the race, finding the celebrities, the drivers and the most passionate fans. The grid is an amazing place to focus, it is so busy, with so much going on that you need to be on top of your game to shoot as much as possible.
Then it’s about selecting the best position to capture the start of the race. This could be the traditional ‘head on’ shot, or maybe a more risky location if you are searching for a bit of drama. During the race, you are watching the race unfold and trying to capture the key moments, such as overtaking moves and images of the cars jostling for position. Finally you need to capture the winning driver climbing out of his car, and then the podium celebrations.
In between all of this, I have specific client shots to take, as well as images of guests and fans. Every spare moment is spent editing and submitting photos. My days at the track are always full on and very long.
Do you ever get any free time in the host city on race weekend?
I get very little free time at track, because there is always editing to do, but I try to arrive the day before I start work and stay at least a day or two longer after finishing work. I love eating out and trying new places or going and seeing some of the local tourist sites. There are tracks that I’ve been to several times, so I have a few familiar haunts I love going back to.
What are your favourite and least favourite F1 circuits to photograph and why?
Monaco is the best to photograph. We can get so close to the cars, and there’s such a huge variety of different shots available. There’s also the added glamour of the place and the celebrities who attend. Even if the race can be a bit dull to watch, it is hands down the best for photography.
My least favourite is probably Montreal. It often rains, which can make for dramatic photographs but it is hard work on the island. It’s also really hard to find a decent place to stay at a reasonable price. The local hotels are very greedy and hike up prices more than every other race we attend. I’ve had so many hotels cancel my booking because they sold the room for a higher price to someone else. It is really off putting.
What’s your favorite and least favourite F1 host cities or destinations and why?
Las Vegas has been amazing, I have taken lots of time to explore the surrounding areas, hiring a car and going off into the desert. I didn’t really explore Vegas itself but the landscapes around the city are brilliant.
My least favourite is hard. Navigating the traffic in Mexico and Brazil is always difficult, as is dealing with the heat at some of the races in the Middle East, but I think every race has good aspects that outweigh the negatives.
What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?
I do spend a lot of time jet lagged, but I think the hardest part is planning my days at the track. I have many assignments each day, so making sure I know the brief well for each of them and have enough time to complete all of my assignments is always a challenge. You also need to know how much time it takes to get from one part of the circuit to another. Another complexity is knowing the style or type of images that are required for each client, and then making time to edit the photos and send them off to the client at the right time. It’s complex and I have a very full calendar on race weekends.
What’s the best part of your job?
Everything! There isn’t a part of my job which I don’t love. Even shooting the less exciting assignments is rewarding. I work with amazing people in many different fields and they are some of the best at what they do, from the mechanics to the security team. We all travel together so it’s a family away from home. I get to shoot one of the world’s most high profile sporting series and test myself against some of the best photographers in the world.
Any advice for a young photographer who would like to get a job in Formula 1?
Photograph as much as you can, whatever you can. Get your images published in a newspaper, magazine or an online publication. Cultivate a positive, ‘can do’ attitude and keep pushing yourself to produce better images.
You also help people with their own travel via your YouTube channel. Tell us about that.
On my YouTube channel, I publish track guides looking at the history of the event, accommodation suggestions, practical advice on how to get around and which tickets will give you the best views for every budget. I also do race previews and reviews, talk about Paddock rumours and publish behind the scenes info. It is a very fun process and I love helping people with their questions about watching F1.
Where else can we find your work?
You can view and purchase my photos on my website, michaelpotts.com. I’m also active on Instagram, X and Threads (@michaelpottsf1).
