Three Time World Champion Sebastian Vettel © 2012 Joe DiMaggio

To All The Ships at Sea

Yes, I know I’m many blogs short – I’ve been running around a lot.

As I’m writing this blog I am watching the warm up lap of the final Formula 1  2012 Series.  Last week, I had one of the greatest weeks of my life, as I had an opportunity to get back into photographing the F1 series that  I started with many years ago. Whoa…I have  to stop… as the current world champion Sebastian Vettel,  just spun out on lap number two damaging his race car. Both Alonso and Massa, from Ferrari, got great starts and Alonso just passed Massa and Webber to take second place.  When I called my agent six months ago, I told him I wanted to do the Austin Texas F1 inaugural race.  In all due respect he told me, I was out-of-my-mind.  He said, “you’ve been away for quite a while and the chances of you getting a credential are slim to none.”  Much to everyone’s surprise F1 keeps impeccable records and they checked my past credentials and not only gave me a credential but gave me a full blown credential with ALL access!

As I shaped up at the credential center I ran into an old (long time) photographer friend from Mexico. He asked when was my last race as had not seen me in years.  I said, “1991 and he replied, “that was 21 years ago.”  Not until he said that, did I realize in the world of photography and F1 that was an eternity.  If you ever talk to a Boxer before he gets in the ring or an actor before they go on stage they will confide in you they have butterflies. When I stepped into the pits it took about 30 seconds and the butterflies were gone and I felt I was home again. A week before I left for Austin I went to the closest interstate to practice high speed pans.  I worked on both my inside and outside pans.  I looked at my photos and picked the top thirty and got a base for what shutter speed I needed.

There is no doubt I will write more on F1 before the year is up. I’d like to end this by saying every person I met in the international and national Press as well as all the Texans I met were great and did everything they could to get me up to speed.  The international photo brotherhood is alive and well. I’m cutting this short as I need to get back to watching the race finale.

Jenson Button F1 © Joe DiMaggio

Vettel ©2012 Joe DiMaggio

Alonso © 2012 Joe DiMaggio

Felipe Massa © 2012 Joe DiMaggio