According to The Sun, a Sky Sports camera operator went viral after getting distracted by a glamorous spectator in the Formula One paddock, panning to Croatian model Ivana Knöll instead of the hosts while former champion Jenson Button delivered analysis to colleagues Simon Lazenby and Naomi Schiff. The Miami Grand Prix had started three hours earlier than planned due to forecast heavy rainstorms, the publication noted.
The woman was later identified as Croatian model Ivana Knöll, The Sun reported. The Sun described her as wearing a black crop top and tiny denim hotpants, and noted she boasts 2.8 million Instagram followers. In the broadcast, a McLaren mechanic in the background turned his head and looked at her wide-eyed, adding to the moment’s virality, The Sun added. Many online users compared her striking appearance to supermodel Adriana Lima, according to The Sun.
The clip quickly amassed over two million views, The Sun reported. Social media users erupted with jokes and praise. One X user declared it 'Academy Award-winning camerawork'. Another user wrote: 'One of the funniest things I've ever seen on a sports broadcast'. A further post said: 'bro said it's other things they need to see !' Some joked that 'nobody paid attention' to what Button was saying. Others added: 'The cameraman forgot what the agenda was'.
Knöll first gained widespread attention at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where she was branded the 'sexiest fan in Russia' for her daring red-and-white checkered outfits, The Sun recalled. According to Metro, she expressed shock at Qatar's modesty laws, stating she had no clothes covering the required areas. She later told the Daily Mail in 2024 that the experience was a mix of blessings and lessons, and that her career changed for the better, helping her return to her first love, music. At the Miami Grand Prix, she told The Sun it was her fifth time attending. The Sun also reported that she reposted the viral moment on her Instagram Story.
It is not known whether the camera operator faced any consequences, and Sky Sports did not issue a statement about the incident. Jenson Button's reaction to being upstaged has not been reported.