The 2026 season has solely simply reached its midway level, however each emotion has already been showcased – the enjoyment of a maiden victory, frustration of an underwhelming weekend, unbridled anger at watching factors slip out of a driver’s fingers. Nobody is healthier positioned to seize all of that than a photographer.
It’s a cliche {that a} image speaks a thousand phrases, however motorsport photographers like Alex O’Connor convey ideas and emotions by their work which might be unimaginable to specific in another medium.
For that purpose, we requested O’Connor to pick his most putting pictures from the opening 11 rounds of the 12 months and clarify the method behind every {photograph}, providing a novel perspective on the exhilarating motion we’ve witnessed to this point.
1. Leclerc threads the needle
Charles Leclerc has change into synonymous with Ferrari lately, having first stepped as much as the long-lasting workforce for the 2019 marketing campaign. Though he’s clinched victories right here and there over time, he started 2026 with the hope that the Scuderia would make a hotly-anticipated return to the entrance of the sector – and to this point, it’s the closest they’ve been for some time, having step by step closed the hole to Mercedes with constant upgrades.
Outlining this shot of the Monegasque, who additionally dedicated to a contract extension in June, O’Connor defined: “Firstly of each Formulation 1 season, I’m given round 5 minutes to shoot with every driver, all throughout F1’s pre-season content material seize days.
“All through these years I’ve all the time tried to seize one thing totally different, whether or not that be a loopy fisheye lens, or capturing a macro shot of a driver’s iris. This 12 months, I posed a few drivers, together with Leclerc, utilizing their hand/glove as a prop, trying by the tight gaps in between their fingers.
“The job of an F1 driver is to string the needle by the tiniest of gaps, eking out efficiency, with usually very restricted imaginative and prescient. I meant these portraits to mirror precisely that. Charles is all the time a gent in the case of pictures, and he understood the project on this event!”
2. A vibrant Suzuka
Spherical 3 noticed the groups and drivers tackle the picturesque Suzuka Circuit, with Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli nonetheless driving the excessive of his maiden Grand Prix win in China. He would go on to repeat the achievement in Japan by beating Oscar Piastri and Leclerc, concurrently taking management of the Drivers’ Championship.
“That is by far one in every of my favorite pictures of the season to this point,” our photographer stated. “For years I’ve stood beneath the colourful blossom timber of Suzuka Circuit, trying to seize the vehicles weaving between the branches (usually on tippy-toes).
“Nonetheless this 12 months, I put my digital camera on an extended monopod, the place my distant digital camera set off would be capable of hearth off the shutter. And to make issues tougher, I placed on a Canon FD lens, a wonderful classic Japanese guide focus lens.
“This meant auto focus was out of the query, and I needed to calculate my focus level with the velocity of the automotive in addition to the delay of the distant set off with the digital camera shutter. After a number of makes an attempt, we received the shot.”
3. Russell again within the hunt
O’Connor took this shot in parc ferme after George Russell received the Canada Dash – his first time on the highest step of the rostrum for the reason that season opener at Albert Park.
Antonelli had nearly survived the specter of a resurgent McLaren on the earlier spherical in Miami, however his workforce mate’s decided efficiency in Canada – in the end thrown off beam by his retirement from the Grand Prix – proved that he wasn’t going to surrender on the title struggle simply.
O’Connor summarised: “It actually felt like a momentum swing again in George’s favour, and I managed to seize this shot in parc ferme as George walked behind Kimi. For me, this encapsulated that George was again within the hunt, for now.”
4. A chook’s eye view of Monaco
Arguably F1’s most famous venue, Monaco has been a steadfast fixture on the calendar for the reason that inaugural season in 1950 and possesses a motorsport historical past stretching again even additional.
Its luxurious setting, memorable format and distinctive driving problem have made it a Grand Prix that each driver desires of profitable. This 12 months, Antonelli took that honour in type, avoiding a number of crashes and retirements to cross the road forward of Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton.
“Throughout FP2 in Monaco, I used to be extraordinarily fortunate to move up within the tv helicopter above the Monaco Grand Prix circuit,” O’Connor stated. “This was my first time capturing from a helicopter, and it was every part I needed and extra.
“As we dropped from the Tête de Chien, Monaco’s towering rock, the pilot pointed the plane nostril in direction of the circuit. At this level, you start to struggle the g-forces on descent as you attempt to preserve management and stability of your digital camera.
“We manoeuvred across the swimming pool part, and with my eye pressed as laborious as attainable towards my viewfinder, I used to be capable of seize this picture.”
5. ’12 is primary’
The thrill across the Silver Arrows heading into this 12 months was largely targeted on Russell lastly having a automotive worthy of a championship struggle, with only a few anticipating such a exceptional enchancment from Antonelli.
He made virtually each mistake he may as a rookie, paving the way in which for his matured aggressive nature to shine in 2026. This was key in Miami, the place he recovered from a disappointing Dash to transform pole place into a 3rd consecutive Grand Prix win, affirming his standing because the youngest championship chief in 76 years of F1.
O’Connor summed it up: “Carry-off. After Antonelli wins in Miami, he launches himself off the automotive earlier than sprinting to his workforce. This was an announcement and it felt vital. 12 is primary.”
6. Ocon on the tempo
Away from the frontrunners, it’s been a rollercoaster first half of the season for a lot of midfield outfits, together with Haas. They began out with some unbelievable drives from sophomore competitor Ollie Bearman, who claimed helpful factors with P7 and P5 finishes in Australia and China respectively.
From then on, their tempo fell away and rivals like Racing Bulls and Alpine edged forward within the growth race, leaving the Briton and his skilled workforce mate Esteban Ocon to undergo a point-less drought of 5 races main as much as the summer season break.
“That is one other of my favorite pictures of the season to this point,” O’Connor acknowledged. “I truly captured this {photograph} of Ocon whereas he was on the tempo throughout the Barcelona Shakedown earlier this 12 months.
“I actually get pleasure from taking part in with shutter velocity and panning methods, to intensify the velocity and design of the vehicles.”
7. Lewis resurgence
If the expertise proven by 19-year-old Antonelli sits at one finish of the size, the opposite should be Hamilton’s revival off the again of his irritating maiden marketing campaign with Ferrari. With seven Drivers’ Championships and a document 106 race wins to his title, the Briton has constructed an exceptional legacy, however he’s not carried out but.
He took his first victory since 2024 on the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix in an emotional show of ability and keenness earlier than qualifying on pole place for the Dash on the British Grand Prix.
Whereas he didn’t add to his tally of wins at Silverstone, a pair of podiums over the weekend was greater than sufficient to reignite the religion in a probably groundbreaking season for Hamilton, which O’Connor labelled “Lewis resurgence”.
“Following his first win in crimson in Barcelona this 12 months, Hamilton adopted it up shortly with an emphatic Dash pole,” he continued. “As I waited for Lewis to drag into parc ferme, I observed that all the British photographers had been completely ecstatic.
“Individuals had been excessive fiving and chatting, ‘May he do it this weekend?’. This felt particular. Lewis received out of the automotive to a rapturous applause, and he deserved it.”
8. Hamilton’s lap to the Dash grid
“Again-to-back Hamilton (not sorry),” O’Connor confessed. “That is undoubtedly up there as one in every of my favorite pictures of my profession. This was Lewis pulling onto the Dash grid.”
Hamilton holds an awe-inspiring variety of information, together with probably the most triumphs at a single circuit. It’s apt that he achieved his 9 wins at Silverstone, the host of his residence race and a venue the place he all the time receives an outpouring of affection and assist from the followers packing out the grandstands.
The photographer added: “Usually, the lap to grid supplies photographers with the chance to seize a automotive alone on observe, as if you happen to had been taking the picture throughout a race.
“You solely have just a few seconds earlier than the automotive drives in direction of you and sometimes you’re swallowed by a workforce of mechanics amassing the automotive. On this event, Lewis approached slowly as he waved to the followers, so I used to be capable of get my shot with seconds to spare.”
9. Sparks fly in Hungary
Groups and drivers have spent this season studying in regards to the newest technology of vehicles which, amongst many different variations, characteristic new energy items and are smaller in comparison with the 2025 challengers.
Each circuit has due to this fact supplied a brand new check for them to optimise the vehicles, with probably the most troublesome tracks to this point being the Hungaroring. Whereas the demanding situations and lack of overtaking alternatives took time for everybody to adapt to, Lando Norris thrived, securing his first Grand Prix win because the reigning World Champion.
“This picture of an exploding spark was captured throughout the Hungarian Grand Prix at Flip 4,” stated O’Connor. “I might be mendacity if I stated I noticed it in the intervening time, nevertheless I used to be assured I had some good sparks. It’s an amazing part of observe that yields many sparks, and this was a pleasant shock!”
10. Verstappen’s dedication
One particular person we haven’t but talked about – and has demonstrated repeatedly that he ought to by no means be written off – is Pink Bull’s Max Verstappen, who has confronted his justifiable share of hurdles to beat this 12 months.
Reliability and a tempo deficiency within the early races severely dented the workforce’s outcomes, with the Dutchman ready till Spherical 5 to face on the rostrum. Nonetheless, improve packages have allowed them to shut as much as the main pack and usually be in rivalry for extra factors, simply in time for Verstappen’s upcoming residence race within the Netherlands.
“I took this on the grid on the Hungarian Grand Prix after Max had gotten out of his automotive earlier than heading to his storage,” O’Connor acknowledged. “Strolling in direction of me, I managed to get some good shut ups of his eyes by his visor, which is all the time the intention when capturing by helmets.
“What I really like about this picture is how decided but targeted his eyes are, which simply sums him up so effectively.”
11. Monaco tunnel imaginative and prescient
Williams have had a troublesome time of it because of manufacturing delays, an obese FW48 and upgrades that largely haven’t offered the increase they want, with Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon brazenly sharing the struggles they’ve endured to this point.
However, Albon took benefit of the chaotic Monaco Grand Prix to acquire his highest end of 2026 in P8. However neither he nor Sainz scored within the following races, leaving the historic workforce with simply 11 factors from an equal variety of rounds.
Detailing this picture, O’Connor stated: “The Monaco tunnel is without doubt one of the most well-known tunnels on the earth, and that is the place the vehicles hit their highest velocity on the circuit.
“From a photographer’s perspective, it may be extraordinarily troublesome to shoot, because the gaps between the boundaries are extraordinarily small, and getting too shut can depart you at risk of getting hit by sparks of rubber from the tyres.
“That stated, I did handle to get this shot of Albon throughout Qualifying, utilizing a star filter on the entrance of my lens to get the starburst gentle impact I needed.”
12. Antonelli’s composure
Regardless of all of Antonelli’s eye-catching weekends, he hasn’t averted falling sufferer to Mercedes’ regarding reliability points as he was compelled to retire from the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix and positioned exterior of the highest 10 at Silverstone.
He nonetheless holds a commanding 50-point lead over Hamilton within the standings, with Russell a further 9 factors behind, and continues to indicate poise past his years in the case of his angle and racing prowess – any stress he feels from defending his place is hidden effectively.
“This was Antonelli preparing on the grid in Hungary,” O’Connor concluded. “Kimi is all the time so calm on the grid, taking his time to prepare, which is nice as a photographer because it provides you time to compose your pictures!
“It’s fairly unbelievable that a youngster has this stage of composure, which for me correlates along with his unbelievable performances to this point this 12 months.”
