Rituals of Racing: Refueling
Refueling at the 24 hours of Le Mans.
Rituals of Racing: Photography
The 24 Hours of Le Mans: the driver and photographer.
Surrounded by the activity of the pit crew the driver fastens his helmet. Every movement results in a fusillade of strobe and video lights.
Alain Prost at the Casino, Monaco Grand Prix
Nicknamed “the professor” for his smooth, precise, intellectual driving, Alain Prost won four World Championships. A Formula One racecar has an incredibly stiff chassis, sophisticated suspension and aerodynamic downforce designed to keep all four tires glued to the track. As Prost’s McLaren screams through the Casino turn at the Monaco Grand Prix the inside front wheel lifts. This is a rare moment and reveals he was driving the car at its absolute limit.
Alfa Romeo F1 engine
I’ve loved racecars since I was a teenager. Long before I ever heard of minimalism and Bauhaus form/function reductions I admired the way racecars directly displayed their intended purpose. My first visit inside Formula One pits and a close up view of the cars was a revelation. The craftsmanship was extraordinary and each component exhibited the highest degree of thought and refinement.
Then occasionally, amongst all the the precision and quality I would come across something so exceptional it would take my breath away.
Niki Lauda in Balaclava
The years I photographed Formula One coincided with the return of Niki Lauda. Nearly killed in a horrific accident at the Nurburgring in 1976 he still wore the scars of the fire. When I first saw him in 1982 he had already won two world championships and his fierce intelligence and driving skill were legendary. I found his intensity magnetic. Once I gave him some photographs I had taken. He said nothing, looked at the pictures briefly and handed them to an aide. I continued to photograph him whenever I could and he neither acknowledged my presence nor avoided me. A couple of years later Deborah Gregg introduced us. He looked right through me and I had a sense that he was analyzing and classifying. Again, he didn’t speak a word. I got the slightest nod of recognition and he turned away.
Rituals of Racing: The Signal To Start the Engine
On the grid at Silverstone in 1983 engineers and mechanics swarm around the racecar, checking settings, making adjustments, changing tires. Roberto Guerrero is in the cockpit, safety belts cinched tight. The tension and excitement in the pits is palpable. When everything is ready his hand raises with the signal to start the engine. The moment has arrived, a mechanic attaches the outboard starter motor, there is a high pitched whine and the engine explodes into life.
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