Today’s Post by John Larsen
On February 13, 2019 the newly named SportPesa Racing Point Formula One team revealed their 2019 car at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto. The former Force India F1 team is under new ownership with a consortium of investors that includes Canadian Lawrence Stroll. It was the first time that an F1 car has been unveiled to the public in North America.
The elaborate presentation was hosted by Sky Sports motorsports commentator David Croft in front of more than 500 guests, media and fans and was also streamed to a global audience. If you would like to see a video of the unveiling of the 2019 SportPesa Racing Point Formula One car please go to the 43:40 mark of this link. .
Drivers Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll were joined by Team Principal, Otmar Szafnauer, and Technical Director, Andrew Green on the stage. After Szafnauer delighted the crowd by sharing stories of his frequent visits to Canada while living in Detroit as a student; the topic of the challenge that lies ahead for the rejuvenated team came to the forefront. Both Green and Szafnauer emphasized that the funding provided by new ownership brought renewed enthusiasm to the team’s hundreds of employees that resulted in a distinct buzz throughout their UK-based operation. The team has stated that their aim is to be fourth in the Formula One Constructor’s Championship; they hope to break into the top three.
As the event was held in an auditorium and was streamed live, use of flash was not permitted. I brought my Canon EOS 7D with an EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens and cranked up the ISO to 1000. I also brought my Fuji S1 to utilize its long built-in zoom lens. Not surprisingly, this combination was not well suited to the low light conditions but did allow me to get a few close shots of the drivers.
John Larsen is located in the Greater Toronto Area, whose PhotoGraffics website contains samples of motorsports and hot air balloon photography from numerous Canadian balloon festivals.