Clips posted on social media revealed an apparent clash between a policeman and an FIA accredited photographer contracted to Williams F1 at the Spanish Grand Prix.
The Madring circuit hosted its first Spanish GP last weekend, with Andrea Kimi Antonelli sailing to victory and extending his championship lead, amid ongoing criticism of the circuit and its lack of overtaking opportunities.
However, footage released on social media showed an incident off-track just before the podium ceremony. The clips appeared to show a photographer being held in a chokehold by a member of the Policia Nacional Espanyol. The photographer had been on the way to the podium ceremony via a passageway used by accredited media.
The photographer, whose Motorsport Week has chosen not to reveal, shoots for Getty Images and is also contracted to Williams. When the incident occurred, the photographer was wearing official Williams team clothing as well as identification that he was an accredited photographer.
Daniel Atan, a fellow photographer and journalist, posted a photo he took of the incident to X.
“Today in absolutely surreal things: a cop puts a chokehold on a photographer in Madrid for trying to access the podium via a passageway enabled for photographers,” Atan wrote.
A second post from @PressRacing claimed that the policeman “assaulted and threw to the ground a photographer who wanted to go where his credentials gave him the right to”. This post also contained a video of the aftermath of the incident, as well as claiming that the photographer was carrying €15,000 worth of equipment.
The exact reasons for the police’s reaction are not yet known.
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