Peacefully, but far too soon, Peter van Egmond passed away in his sleep at home on Thursday, January 2, after a grueling illness. He leaves behind a wife and three children. In memoriam: Peter van Egmond.
Just over two weeks before his 69th birthday, the tumultuous life of one of the best Formula 1 photographers and one of the most enjoyable colleagues came to an end. His large, strong body was helpless in the unfair battle with cancer. Initially, Van Egmond had hoped that medication and treatments would grant him a little more time with his family, but his condition rapidly deteriorated in the last few weeks.
Through an introduction to races at the Zandvoort Circuit in the late 70s, he became enamored with motorsport and photography. As a self-taught individual, he developed into one of the world’s leading F1 photographers. His (mostly British) colleagues affectionately called him The Legend. In total, Van Egmond attended 569 Grands Prix. The one in São Paulo last November was his last and also very emotional.
His photos, always creative, technically perfect, and distinctive, were consistently highly appreciated by readers. Just like the stories behind the photos, which Van Egmond often told with great relish. He had a large fan base in the Netherlands. Long after the event, people wanted to know everything about photography from him. And he was never too proud to help everyone.
“Van Egmond was particularly praised for his sociable nature. In the Formula 1 paddock, he was one of the few permanent residents who had no enemies. He was loved by everyone, even though most teams knew that in addition to his regular photography, he also engaged in ‘technical photography’. He started this in 2010 with McLaren. In recent years, he carried out this task with pleasure and satisfaction at Red Bull. Design guru Adrian Newey, who has since left the team, praised him for his keen eye for detail. He called Van Egmond’s contributions ‘crucial’ to the world titles that Red Bull won in recent years with Max Verstappen.
After more than forty years, the life and long career of Peter van Egmond as an F1 photographer have come to an end. Sooner than he would have liked. The extensive travel and the intensity of his work had taken their toll. But time caught up with him.
Rest in peace, Peter, and thank you for your companionship, dedication, collegiality, loyalty, and photographic masterpieces. Your family, friends, and the Formula 1 community have lost a great friend.”
