Torro Rosso pit crew refuelling Scott Speed’s car at Indianapolis F1 GP. An event attended by the artist. American, Scott Speed like me lives with Crohn’s Disease which can not always have been easy in this tough sport. It seemed appropriate to do a painting that would be predominantly red, white and blue with the Stars and Stripes as a border.

That year Robert Kubica was in the paddock rather than racing thanks to an accident in Canada the week before. Sebastian Vettel got his first points. In the next season he took the seat of the American Scott Speed who was driving for Scuderia Torro Rosso.

This was a year when refuelling was allowed. Refuelling TR crew shows the number of crew it took to put in fuel safely. I’ve always loved watching the pit crews at work. They move as if in a dance, each knowing exactly what to do when.