Start Your Engine

I like this time of year, the days are getting longer, the Champions League is reaching an interesting stage, Charlton Athletic are pushing for promotion (well, they will be next year) and the F1 season is about to start. I spent 11 years traveling the world photographing the Formula 1 World Championship and loved every minute of it. Following the championship around the world, I'v worked in the desert heat in Bahrain, tropical rainstorms in Brazil and 80% humidity in Malaysia, not to mention the cold wet July days spent at Silverstone, happens every year.
My time in F1 was dominated by Michael Schumacher. My first year ('94) was the year he won his first world championship. He clinched it in Adelaid, Australia. We arrived in Oz from Japan having worked at the wettest race ever, 3 days after the race I was still trying to dry out my gear! Micky the shoe retired from the race after trying to punt off, sorry, after a collision with his championship rival, Damon Hill, who had to retire in the pits handing the championship to the German who was still stranded out on the circuit, standing by his Benetton car. He won again in '95 before losing out to Hill in '96 and in '97 he was again involved in controversy, trying to punt off his championship rival Jacques Villeneuve, this time it was Schumi who lost out, Villeneuve winning the championship. A couple of years in the wilderness followed before he came back with a record breaking five consecutive championships.
So it all begins again this weekend in Oz. I dont mind telling you, one thing I dont miss is sitting in cattle class for a 23 hr flight followed by another 23 hr flight home a week later! It looks like being a good year for racing with the various rule changes and new teams at the sharp end instead of the usual McLaren and Ferrari battle. My money's on Jenson Button......you can just feel its his year!