As the 2023 Formula One season draws to a close, documentary photographer Lexie Harrison-Cripps went behind the scenes at last month’s Mexico Grand Prix at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, to see the work that goes on to keep everyone safe
The combination of cars travelling at speeds in excess of 200mph, highly flammable fuel, hundreds of personnel and hundreds of thousands of fans in attendance, means there is potential for Formula One race weekends to be a dangerous place. However there are teams of people working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure the safety of everyone in attendance.
Ana Belem García Sierra is the chief medical officer for the F1 in Mexico City. She works at one of the biggest hospitals in Mexico City as an internal doctor but also volunteers to run the medical team at the F1. She works in the race control tower and will ultimately have the final say on whether or not the firefighters and medical team can go onto the track. Her second in command, Yarel Barba Ruiz Esparza, also a doctor, supports her team of 124 doctors, nurses, drivers, helicopter pilots and burns and radiography specialists. They are supported by female firefighters, both in the pits and around the track. Above all, she prioritises the safety of her staff, although her main goal is to reduce their response time in an emergency.
The chief medical officer, Ana Belem García Sierra briefs members of her team.