08/01/2026
The president of the Czech Republic spent last weekend crouched at the barriers of the Hungaroring in a photographer's bib, and most people only worked out who he was afterward.
Petr Pavel attended the Hungarian Grand Prix on Saturday with official FIA accreditation, a full camera kit, and no diplomatic function whatsoever. He was not hosted in a suite or shaking hands on the grid. He worked the circuit alongside Czech Formula 1 photographer Jiri Krenek, shooting from the same positions as the professionals under the same safety restrictions, carrying both Canon and Nikon bodies, a detail that generated its own argument online.
The hobby predates the presidency and spans continents. Pavel photographed the Le Mans 24 Hours in June, covers MotoGP and World Superbike rounds at Brno, and has traveled to the United States for NASCAR and to Saudi Arabia for the Dakar Rally. Images from the 2025 Dakar were exhibited at the National Technical Museum in Prague, where he explained the appeal simply, calling motorsport a fascinating world he is glad to record and share rather than only watch.
He also puts the work to use. An auction of one of his photo albums in 2025 raised close to €30,000 for organizations supporting children, single parents, and the elderly.
Pavel, 64, is a former chairman of the NATO Military Committee.
Sources: Motorsport.com, PetaPixel, Yahoo Sports.