F1 Photographer Appears to Be Choked During Spanish GP Podium Access Row

A motorsport photographer named Daniel Atán Romar claims to have been placed in a neck restraint by a police officer during the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid. The incident allegedly occurred as Romar attempted to reach the podium via a photographer-friendly passageway. A photograph posted by Romar on social media appears to capture the confrontation, showing a man in a green-and-blue media bib with a lanyard around his neck being pulled backward by a man in dark clothing.

A third individual is seen reaching toward the men. The incident took place near the newly opened Madring circuit, behind a temporary fence with branding from TAG Heuer and behind grandstand structures. The Spanish Government Delegation had deployed nearly 1,500 Policía Nacional and Guardia Civil personnel for the event, but the photograph makes it unclear which law enforcement agency the officer involved belongs to.