Elias Hautman didn’t enter motorsport photography chasing paddock passes or grid access. He picked up a camera just two years agoas part of his Bachelor in Audio Visual Design, approaching photography initially as a technical and creative discipline. But one year into that journey, something clicked.
Motorsport.
It was there that speed, emotion, and storytelling converged — and the direction of his work changed entirely.
Since then, Elias has focused his lens on automotive and motorsport photography, capturing not only high-intensity race action but also the moments that exist beyond the spotlight. The quiet concentration before a stint. The exhaustion etched into a mechanic’s face at 3am. The atmosphere that lives in the pitlane long after the chequered flag falls.
Working at iconic circuits across Europe — including Spa-Francorchamps and the Nürburgring — Elias continues to refine a visual style that blends technical precision with a cinematic eye. His images are not just about speed; they are about feeling.
The 2025 season marked Elias’ first year fully immersed in motorsport, and from his very first hour trackside, it was clear this was more than a passing interest. Every race weekend reinforced the same realisation — motorsport is an environment where passion and emotion exist in constant motion.
Short recap from the 24h of Zolder Elias Hautman IG
Attending the 24 Hours of Spa and the 24 Hours of Nürburgring initially as a spectator proved to be defining moments. Standing trackside for hours on end, through day and night, Elias experienced how the rhythm of a race evolves. The noise changes. The tension builds. Fatigue sets in. And the story deepens.
What stood out most wasn’t just what happened on track, but everything happening around it.
Behind every lap lies relentless dedication and sacrifice. Teams pushing through exhaustion. Mechanics operating under intense pressure. Drivers giving everything they have. Fans living each moment as if they’re part of the team themselves. Together, these elements create something far greater than a race result.
It was here that Elias realised motorsport isn’t just about cars circulating a circuit — it’s about people. Stories. Moments that often go unseen. That understanding now defines his work.
Through his photography, Elias aims to document the full spectrum of motorsport — the intensity, preparation, pressure, and emotion that exist long before the lights go out and long after the chequered flag waves. By focusing on both the action and the human side of the sport, his images tell the stories that give racing its meaning.
At Pitlane News, that perspective matters. Because motorsport isn’t just watched — it’s lived.
