When Formula 1 photographer Peter Fox went to the Degner bends to snap some shots during Friday free practice at the Japanese Grand Prix, he probably had no idea what he was causing a few days later.
His photo of Nico Rosberg’s fully-loaded Mercedes racing around the first right hander quickly swept throughout social media, with fans and major figures in the sport heaping praise on what the image represented.
But it had a genuinely global impact when Rosberg tweeted about it, asking who the photographer was.
Check out the forces on our Formula One car! unbelievable!!! Who took this photograph?? 📸📸📸 👏🏻👏🏻
— Nico Rosberg (@nico_rosberg), October 11, 2016.
With 1.6 million followers, Fox’s photograph was retweeted an amazing 2,100 times and received 5,600 likes, sparking conversation.
Motorsport.com interviews important players about how the shot came about and why it had such tremendous impact.
The photographer, Peter Fox, attended the second free practice session at Degner 1 on Friday. He chose this location since the vehicles tend to pile up during compression. I’ve been there over several years and have photos from previous visits, but I’ve never seen a car filled up like that.
The other cars were on the same queue, but even those that were completely laden had a different attitude, with the front wheel rising in the air. What is particularly intriguing is that the back wheel is heavily weighted while the front wheel remains mostly on the ground. So their suspension is working well.
When you look at the next photo, which is out of focus, the car seems completely different. The suspension has been boosted, and the automobile appears to be lifted off the ground for a second. It’s remarkable how it resets itself.
A few days after the race, Nico posted the photo on Twitter and inquired who it was. I’m not sure who first put it out there, but Nico has a lot of followers, and when I was mentioned, I had to turn my phone off due to all the notifications. It had beeped and flickered all night.
When I awoke in the morning and began reading what everyone had said, it demonstrated the power of a picture. I believe Mark Gallagher stated that this image explains more than words could possibly do, and that is what photography is all about.
Thanks to @peterjfoxf1 for this photo captured at Suzuka. An photograph that conveys more than words can explain the dynamics of a #F1 car.twitter.com/sYb7T6nluy
Mark Gallagher (@_markgallagher) October 11, 2016.
The driver
NICO ROSEBERG: It’s a fantastic picture for the weekend. It is unusual to see the forces in an F1 car so clearly on an image. It was an exceptional capture – extremely stunning. Everything, including the tyre, was deforming. It was incredible, yet it was a routine lap. It wasn’t like anything special happened; it was just a regular lap.
PADDY LOWE: It’s exciting to see a photograph of an F1 car on the limit. It is an extremely dramatic photograph. These automobiles are subjected to huge stresses, and if you see some of the pieces being tested in the laboratory under the loads we know they are built for and the loads they encounter, the deformation may be very shocking. It is quite educational for engineers to observe that firsthand. But that’s what happens.
I believe it recorded a specific time, as the left rear tyre is very pressured at that point. We can see how the entire sidewall is deformed, and I am sure there is a dynamic there since the camera has just caught the apex of it, making it appear extremely dramatic.
I believe we sometimes take the performance of these automobiles for granted, and they can appear a little tame. But there is some extremely tough stuff going on there every day; if only we could keep showing it. That is why it is critical for the TV to continue to function in ways that demonstrate this.
When analysing tyre deformation data, it’s important to include lateral forces, compression, and standing waves, as well as other parameters affecting the tyres. When you see a picture like that, it has a unique impression. I was also watching some photographs on the display today, and you can see the deformation of the tyre. It is extremely astounding, and something we are aware of and will take into account in our simulation.
However, the photograph depicts a really extreme situation. But I imagine that if you take the proper photo – for example, in the Eau Rouge compression – you’ll see something quite similar, or at the end of a straight.
This shot is a good example of how extreme the forces pressing on F1 car tyres are. So, when we talk about increasing the pressure by 1 or 2 PSI, you can easily grasp it from here. We need air within the tyre to support this type of pressure.
