Czech Republic president has surprise job in F1 that nobody would expect | F1 | Sport
World leaders expressing an interest in sport is nothing new. Many heads of state are snapped at football, tennis and Formula One events during their premierships.
It’s become a regular sight at major sporting events to see an influential politician watching on from the stands. But for one sport-loving world leader, they have a very different experience compared to their counterparts when attending these major sporting events.
The man in question is Petr Pavel, who is the president of the Czech Republic, but perhaps more importantly is a gigantic motorhead. So much so, he spends his free time attending motorsport events, but instead of watching from the comfort of the hospitality boxes, Pavel likes to get in and amongst it.
As such, Pavel is an accredited motorsport photographer, and was most recently spotted trackside for the Hungarian Grand Prix. But that wasn’t the first time Pavel had participated in this unusual pastime, as the former NATO Military Chairman has covered the MotoGP and World Superbike events in the Czech Republic, as well as other races around the world.
When quizzed on his love of the sport, Pavel said in 2025: “Motorsport is a fascinating world and I am glad that I can not only watch it, but also record it in some way and share it with others. I hope that my photographs will bring the beauty and challenge of this legendary race closer to the audience.”
Such is his passion for motorsport and photography, Pavel created an exhibition from photos he’d taken at the Dakar Rally – one of the world’s most famous races. It was titled ‘In the Desert with a Finger on the Trigger’, with pictures having been taken during a private visit to the event.
On the Dakar Rally, he said: “Dakar is not only an extreme race, but also a story of human endurance, teamwork and determination. I had the opportunity to experience it up close and capture the atmosphere that prevails on the racing field and among the fans.”
It isn’t just photographing motorsport vehicles that Pavel enjoys, with the president also a keen to test them out on the roads. However, he was hospitalised in May 2024 after suffering injuries from an accident while riding a motorcycle. Meanwhile, also led the 2025 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix parade into Brno Circuit a BMW bike.
