This was the case when long-time Formula 1 (F1) photojournalist Kym Illman featured a Filipino on a post that appeared in both his Instagram and TikTok accounts during the Qatar Grand Prix (GP) of last year’s F1 season.
Illman, who has been covering F1 for years now, was amused when he saw a young Fillipino wearing a strange helmet—a “rather unusual rig,” in his words—and walking up to F1 drivers at the paddock of the Lusail International Circuit, home of the Qatar Grand Prix. It turns out, the young guy with the interesting contraption is Noah Lapuz, a videographer based in Qatar.
“We were working on a project with Lusail [International Circuit] at that time,” Noah, who works for Doha-based outfit 1507 Media, tells the Manila Bulletin. He was at the paddock on Nov. 29, 2024, the day of the Sprint Race qualifying for the Qatar GP.
“I did not expect to see Kym there. I have been watching his videos,” Noah explains, adding that the helmet he wore is actually a commercially available and customizable gadget used by photographers and videographers who take action shots.
A graduate of Multimedia Arts from the De La Salle College of St. Benilde, Noah has been living in Doha with his parents and one sibling. Last year was his second time to be at the Qatar Grand Prix. A Formula 1 fan himself, he was especially glad when he got the chance to meet some of his favorite drivers, whose autographs he was able to get on an official F1 cap.
“I started becoming a fan of F1 [during the time] when Lewis [Hamilton] was dominating the sport, which was around 2018,” Noah says. “I was a casual viewer then. But in 2022, I became even more interested in it. And at that time, it was Max Verstappen who was dominating.”
It was, therefore, quite a treat for Noah that he was able to approach Max Verstappen, among other famous F1 stars, at the Lusail paddock. “The chance to get close to the drivers came because we were making that film for Lusail,” he narrates. “As I was about to approach them, I kept telling myself, ‘Kaya ko ‘to, kaya ko ‘to’ (I can do this), but once I was already in front of them, I blacked out. I am really a shy person.”
Apart from the 2024 season champion, Noah also met the two Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz (who has since moved to Williams for the 2025 season), Mercedes’ star George Russell, RB’s Yuki Tsunoda, Williams driver Alex Albon, and F1 veteran Valtteri Bottas who drove for Kick Sauber last year. Noah also met Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner.
“They were very approachable,” the young videographer remembers with a smile, adding that the driver’s were curious about him when he approached them most probably due to his strange-looking helmet. “The most interesting reaction I got was from Verstappen, who jokingly asked me if I was doing a neck workout because of the heavy-looking helmet.” (Formula 1 drivers, because of the intense G-forces that assail their bodies during a race, have to train their neck muscles rather intensely.)
He didn’t, however, have a chance to meet his 2024 F1 idol. “For this Grand Prix, I was cheering for Lando [Norris],” Noah says. “I was for McLaren.”
Nevertheless, looking back at the last Qatar GP, Noah is happy for his team. It was, after all, Lando Norris who made the fastest lap of the race. And while he didn’t land a podium finish, McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri placed third, after Red Bull’s Verstappen and Ferrari’s Leclerc. McLaren also won the team title for the 2024 F1 season.
For those who have not had the chance yet to watch a Formula 1 grand prix live, Noah has a tip for when they finally get the opportunity to do so.
“The thing about watching an F1 race in person, you need the F1 app because without it, it would just be like watching very fast cars zooming in front of you,” Noah explains, laughing, saying that many first-time watchers are surprised by just how quick a race could go. “It could all be a blur, and it would seem better to just watch online. The app gives you statistics you can follow as you wait for the cars to pass by your spot again.”
Indeed, the experience of meeting several of the top Formula 1 stars in one day was a blur for Noah. And as the 2025 F1 season draws ever nearer, he hopes for another chance to zoom in on them at Lusail.