Petr Pavel, the current Czech Republic president, arrived at the Hungaroring this weekend armed with a full camera kit and an official FIA accreditation.
Sport‑focused presidency
Beyond policy manoeuvres, the former NATO commander turns to motorsport photography as a personal pastime. At the Saturday practice sessions he was already capturing the motion of cars, flanked by Czech motor‑sport photographer Jiri Krenek.
Continued presence on the racing calendar
He has attended previous events, including a recent trip to Le Mans in France where he again carried camera gear. In Brno, his camera has documented MotoGP and World Superbike races; overseas, he has filmed NASCAR in the United States and the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia.
From Dakar to the National Technical Museum
Photographs taken during the 2025 Dakar Rally, where he also backed Czech participants, were displayed in Prague’s National Technical Museum. The same images later auctioned through a charity sale raised close to €30,000 for children, single parents, and the elderly.
Olympic‑style attendance around the globe
His media access parallels other political figures who routinely appear at key races. Last year British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali and team leaders at a reception before the British Grand Prix.
While motorsport is a niche hobby for many politicians, they are recognised as support pillars for the sport. President Pavel’s visitor status with official accreditation is a clear example of merging public duty with personal enthusiasm.
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