'One of the best experiences of my life' – Mark Sutton on photographing Antonelli's F1 title

After more than four decades photographing Formula 1's biggest names and most memorable moments, Mark Sutton thought he had seen it all. But Kimi Antonelli's remarkable 2026 season has given the veteran photographer a renewed enthusiasm for his craft.

From capturing a young Antonelli meeting Lewis Hamilton to documenting the Italian's maiden World Championship triumph, Sutton has witnessed some extraordinary moments. Yet it was Antonelli's emotional home victory at Monza that provided one of the highlights of his career.

"That was one of the most incredible experiences of my life," he recalls of Kimi Antonelli's emotional home victory at Monza.

"We posed Kimi up, and there was this sea of people in front of him: 10, 20, 30,000, I don't know how many there were on the circuit.

"It's an experience like nothing else in Formula 1."

It was one of many moments Sutton captured during the Italian's second Formula 1 season, which culminated in a maiden Drivers' Championship in Mexico City and helped Mercedes secure the Constructors' title in Brazil. For Sutton, the experience has also rekindled his enthusiasm for the job.

"All the photographers talk about how amazing he is. It has really kept me going this year because, when you get to 61, the job can become a little repetitive: not boring, but repetitive.

It's great to have a fresh perspective on things and a bit of new life. It's really woken me up. It's been a joy, to be honest, absolutely amazing."

Photographing legends in the making

Sutton's first experience behind a camera at a race came in 1983, when his brother Keith, then working as Ayrton Senna's photographer, invited him to Oulton Park. Sutton was 18, still studying and unfamiliar with the equipment.

"He said, 'I'm going to do the first corner. You go out the back.' I had a camera with no motor drive, so I had to take a picture and then wind the film on manually."

The race featured Senna battling Martin Brundle in British Formula 3, and Sutton suddenly found himself watching a dramatic incident unfold through his lens.

"Senna dived down the inside of Martin Brundle... and the next minute they landed on top of each other. But I didn't get the next frame because I had to wind the film on. By the time I'd done that, it was gone. I did get pictures of them walking around the car afterwards. Those photographs from my first ever race became quite famous."

The photographs became well-known images of Senna's early career, as the Brazilian went on to claim that year's British F3 title before progressing to Formula 1, where he would win three World Championships. Sutton, meanwhile, photographed Senna's first Toleman test and built a career documenting generations of drivers.

"And that was photographing Senna, when nobody really knew what a legend he was going to become," Sutton reflects.

More than three decades later, Sutton would capture another photograph involving a future World Champion, although once again, its significance wouldn't become clear until years afterwards.

At the 2018 Italian Grand Prix, a 12-year-old Antonelli was taking part in the pre-race ceremonies as a grid kid. As the drivers made their way along the line, Sutton was photographing their interactions with the children.

Among those moments was a young Antonelli fist-bumping Lewis Hamilton, then driving for Mercedes.

"My photograph was the one of Kimi with Lewis back in 2018," Sutton reveals.

"Little did I know what that photograph would become. It's crazy, isn't it? Kimi was a grid kid at Monza in 2018. I was photographing the drivers going down the line, high-fiving and fist-bumping the kids. One of those moments was Lewis fist-bumping a 12-year-old Kimi."

Eight years later, the boy in that photograph has succeeded Hamilton at Mercedes and become a World Champion himself.

A sea of Tifosi and a moment in history

Of all the events Sutton photographed in 2026, Antonelli's home victory at Monza stands apart. With thousands of Tifosi flooding the circuit to celebrate their home hero, Sutton found himself on the podium capturing what would become one of the most memorable moments of his career.

"I felt this massive buzz. I turned around afterwards and said to everybody, 'That was one of the best experiences of my life.'

"I think that's what doing this job is about as well, having that chance to experience these things. What other job allows you to travel around the world and take pictures?"

Having attended races with his father since he was just two years old and more than four decades photographing motorsport, Sutton has experienced countless memorable moments, but few atmospheres compare to Monza and the passion of the Italian fans.

"The key thing is the fans. You've got fans in the grandstands, fans on the track, and people down in the pit lane and on the pit wall. It's like a threefold effect. The noise is amazing, and the Italian fans are just incredible."

One image in particular has stayed with him – Antonelli, an Italian flag across his shoulders, standing before the enormous crowd of the Tifosi. Sutton watched as the driver briefly lowered his head, seemingly taking in the scale of the occasion.

"I felt that it was a really important photograph.

"I started shouting to get him to look up. Then he raised his fist and looked directly at me. That was a great picture."

The opportunities continued as Antonelli returned to pose with members of his inner circle.

"I was very lucky because Kimi posed for us, and then he wanted another picture. He came back with his trainer and wanted a picture with him. Then he came back with his engineer, so we carried on taking these photographs."

Sutton later found an elevated position to photograph Mercedes' team celebrations below, while colleagues covered the pit wall, crowd and podium from other angles. Antonelli even removed his shirt and threw it towards the fans, prolonging the celebrations.

"That was probably the most important photo shoot of the season," Sutton says. "I think Getty Images absolutely smashed it. We got every angle possible."

The photographs meant something to the team, too. Weeks later, Mercedes asked Sutton about obtaining the picture of Antonelli with his trainer.

"It's an iconic podium, and it's a privilege to be there photographing somebody who would go on to become World Champion."

Capturing a World Champion in Mexico City

Mexico City brought a different challenge. Antonelli clinched the championship with a podium finish, and Sutton was among the photographers documenting the celebrations that followed.

"The one in Mexico was particularly chaotic. We call it a 'bunfight' because it's literally elbows out," he recalls.

"First, we photographed the team, but his dad and family weren't there, so we had to do it again. Then [Mercedes’ Content Director] Paul Ripke said we'd got all the champagne ready, but there were certain pictures he wanted us to get first.

"All of a sudden, the champagne was handed out and everything went crazy."

The excitement made even an experienced photographer reconsider his position.

"One mechanic lifted Kimi up, but he couldn't see because Kimi was pouring champagne over his face. He was almost walking around blindfolded. It was hilarious. I felt I was too close. I was shooting on a wide lens, a 14-24mm, but I was almost right up his nose. Sometimes you want to be a little farther back."

But Sutton's photographs also captured smaller encounters during the weekend. He watched Antonelli walk along both lines of grid kids, greeting them individually, and photographed a young karter named Emma Garcia Lopez giving him a bracelet, which the Italian was later seen wearing on the podium during his championship celebrations.

"She then shared the story, but she didn't have my photograph, so I completed the story for her with that picture," he explains.

"Knowing that those children in Mexico have interacted with a World Champion is special. It gives them a memento of the race, and maybe a bit of encouragement."

A different side of the champion in Brazil

By the time Formula 1 arrived in Sao Paulo, Antonelli was already champion, while Mercedes would go on to secure the Constructors' Championship. Sutton's most memorable encounters there, however, came away from the racing.

On Thursday, Antonelli surprised him with a fist bump as he arrived at the circuit.

"I'd followed him coming in, and suddenly he put his fist right into my lens," Sutton laughs. "Sometimes you ask drivers to do it, and they will, but with Kimi it felt like a little bit of respect."

The interaction also highlights the mutual appreciation between Antonelli and those documenting his career, something Sutton believes the young champion has understood despite being only in his second F1 season.

"He knows my name. I think generally he'll know all the photographers' names," Sutton says. "He's a clever guy, and he understands that the media is part of this circus and that he has to get them on his side."

Sutton later found himself alone in the pit lane as Antonelli visited the Mercedes mechanics, waved a Brazilian flag and then leaned over to kiss the halo of his car.

"When you're photographing a car on track, you can't really see the driver. You can only see the helmet. Of course, there's a lot of skill involved, and we take some beautiful, amazing photographs. But for me, it's sometimes more about the face: the reactions, the smiles."

He sees echoes of Senna in Antonelli's willingness to joke around with his team, particularly in his playful relationship with race engineer Peter 'Bono' Bonnington. Sutton remembers Senna's prank-filled friendship with Gerhard Berger, although he is careful not to equate the two drivers.

"I think they're different characters, but there are similarities," he says. "I didn't know Senna particularly well, but I think he was quite a joker in the paddock, especially with the teams. I think having that relaxed side is important, rather than being too serious all the time."

A frame of history

Some of Sutton's most significant photographs have taken on new meaning over the years. His early images of Senna and the 2018 photograph of Hamilton meeting a young Antonelli show how moments captured almost by chance can become an important part of Formula 1 history.

"Sometimes that's just how this job works. You're in the right place, with the right lens, the right exposure and the right light."

These fleeting moments, Sutton believes, demonstrate photography's unique ability to preserve the stories and emotions that define the sport.

"I think what it is with photographers is that we capture a particular moment in history. It's frozen. It's not video coverage, where you're filming a particular sequence. We're capturing a sequence as well, but we'll generally use that one particular frame.

"And that one frame can be a magical moment."

Getty Images is now assembling a dedicated collection of Antonelli photographs from the season. Sutton hopes the images will capture not only the trophies and champagne, but also the expressions and interactions that made this championship distinctive.

With three races still remaining, he is looking forward to seeing what else his camera might capture. Yet his memory of Monza is already secure.

"Monza was magical, absolutely magical," he says.

"Kimi has given me a boost, if anything. I'm looking forward to next year now, but I'm also looking forward to the last three races and finishing this season. It's been incredible."