darren, Author at Octane Photography

Aug 10

by darren in The Feed 0 comments tags: Binder, KTM, MotoGP

Beirer Admits KTM “Not at All Satisfied” with Binder’s 2025 Season

Brad Binder returns to the Red Bull Ring hoping the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix can reignite his faltering MotoGP campaign. The South African rider is enduring the toughest season of his premier-class career, and KTM’s motorsport director Pit Beirer has made it clear: the team is “not at all satisfied” with what they’ve seen so far. The Austrian GP holds special significance for Binder. It was here in 2021 that he claimed his second—and most recent—MotoGP victory, gambling on slick tyres in a dramatic late-race downpour. But four years and 78 Grands Prix later, that win remains his last. As the championship resumes after its summer break, Binder finds himself in unfamiliar territory: struggling for form, confidence, and results. Binder has scored just 68 points across the first 12 rounds of 2025—his lowest tally at this stage of any season. Not even his rookie year in 2020, when he sat 12th with 76 points, saw him this far down the standings. His best result this year remains a sixth-place finish at Jerez in April. The arrival of Pedro Acosta to the factory KTM team has only intensified the spotlight. The 21-year-old rookie has already amassed 124 points and delivered KTM’s […]

Aug 09

by darren in The Feed 0 comments tags: Nascar, Trackhouse, van Gisbergen

Van Gisbergen Inks Multi-Year Extension with Trackhouse Racing

Shane van Gisbergen is living out one of motorsport’s most remarkable modern fairytales—trading Supercars for NASCAR and thriving in a way few could have predicted. Following in the footsteps of fellow Aussie legend Marcos Ambrose, the Kiwi has carved out a stunning career on American soil. His NASCAR journey began in electrifying fashion in 2023, when he stunned the racing world by winning on debut in a last-lap thriller on the streets of Chicago, driving Trackhouse Racing’s Project 91 Camaro. In 2024, van Gisbergen made the full-time leap to the U.S., competing in the Xfinity Series and leaving his Supercars legacy behind. By 2025, he had graduated to the Cup Series as a rookie—and wasted no time making history. With victories at Mexico City, Sonoma, and a triumphant return to Chicago, van Gisbergen tied the record for most wins by a rookie in a single season. His rapid rise has prompted Trackhouse Racing to lock in the 36-year-old with a multi-year contract extension. And for van Gisbergen, the feeling is mutual. “Trackhouse Racing feels like home,” he said. “They gave me the chance to race in Chicago back in 2023. That was just a one-off deal, but everything that’s happened […]

Aug 06

by darren in The Feed 0 comments tags: Alpine, Colapinto, Formula1

Colapinto Escapes Unharmed After Crash During Pirelli Tyre Test

Franco Colapinto walked away unscathed from a crash during Pirelli’s Formula 1 tyre testing at the Hungaroring, where Alpine, McLaren, and Racing Bulls are participating in a two-day programme focused on developing tyres for the 2026 season. Alpine confirmed in a brief statement that Colapinto was “OK” after being evaluated at the circuit’s medical centre following an incident at Turn 11 — a notoriously challenging right-hander. The crash prematurely ended Colapinto’s testing schedule and comes at a turbulent moment in the young Argentine’s F1 journey. Since stepping in for Jack Doohan at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, the 22-year-old has struggled to find form. He remains point-less, has crashed twice in qualifying, and has been outqualified by teammate Pierre Gasly in seven of their nine races together. There were glimmers of progress in Hungary, where Colapinto outqualified and finished ahead of Gasly for only the second time since joining the grid. However, this latest setback adds to mounting pressure, especially amid speculation linking Valtteri Bottas to Alpine — with rumours suggesting a mid-season switch could be on the cards. Alpine currently sits at the bottom of the constructors’ standings with just 20 points, trailing ninth-placed Haas by 15.

Jul 23

by darren in Track 0 comments tags: Supercars, Supercheap

Supercheap Auto Best Performing Oils Video 2025

See this epic lineup of cameos & more in the latest (2025) Best Performing Oils campaign brought to you by Supercheap Auto.

Jul 08

by darren in Crash 0 comments tags: Indy Nxt, Murray

Sebastian Murray massive crash INDY NXT Mid-Ohio

Sebastian Murray and Ricardo Escotto make contact, launching the No. 2 car airborne in a wild crash during the 2025 INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio.

Jul 07

by darren in The Feed 0 comments tags: Chicago, Nascar, van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen completes perfect Chicago weekend

It was hot in Chicago this week, but Shane van Gisbergen was even hotter. The road course ace roared to the lead on Lake Shore Drive and ran away from the field in a nine-lap shootout, winning Sunday’s third annual Grant Park 165, the NASCAR Cup Series’ Chicago Street Race. The Trackhouse Racing driver, who won Saturday’s Xfinity Race and the Cup race’s pole, got his number 88 Chevrolet past leader Chase Briscoe with 16 laps left and had a 2.5 second lead over Ty Gibbs before a caution on the final lap gave him his second win of 2025. The victory was the Auckland, New Zealand native’s third in 33 career starts and helped Chevrolet to sweep three victories in the streets of Chicago. He started the weekend by winning the pole for the Sunday race. The 36-year-old Supercars champion then backed up his first career Cup victory in the Second City in 2023 by doing it again. “What an amazing weekend for me,” said van Gisbergen, who led 26 laps and dominated the series last month on Mexico City’s road layout. “We made no mistakes, and there were some really fast cars.” Van Gisbergen said the weather was […]

Jul 06

by darren in The Feed 0 comments tags: Chicago, Nascar, SVG

Van Gisbergen storms to Xfinity win

Shane van Gisbergen capitalised on a late race restart to successfully defend his 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series win in Chicago in stunning fashion. Having dominated the early stages, an unfortunate break threatened to derail van Gisbergen’s quest to go back-to-back, however it was a trademark charge through the field that saw him win his first Xfinity start of 2025. Van Gisbergen started second on the final restart with two laps to go, and muscled past JR Motorsports and Trackhouse stablemate Connor Zilisch at Turn 1, winning by 0.823s. It capped off a remarkable day for the Kiwi, who also claimed pole position for both the Xfinity race and tomorrow morning’s Cup Series race. “Yeah unreal, I thought it was going to be a lost cause when the strategy went wrong, but it worked out well,” said van Gisbergen in victory lane. “Thanks to JR Motorsports, the car was a rocket, WeatherTech, Red Bull, unreal day. Awesome day.” It was a much tougher day for Jack Perkins, who barely got into the race before it all unravelled for the 38-year-old. Having started a fine fifth in his first NASCAR start, Perkins dropped back two places in the opening laps before being […]

Jul 01

by darren in The Feed 0 comments tags: Alpine, Bottas, Formula1

Bottas a potential Colapinto replacement

Valtteri Bottas has emerged as the leading candidate for a surprise switch to Alpine later this year should the Formula 1 team decide it wants to replace Franco Colapinto. Alpine’s executive advisor Flavio Briatore, who is currently its de facto team principal, has approached Mercedes to discuss the potential availability of its reserve driver. While it is understood that discussions between Alpine and Mercedes over Bottas have been very preliminary, and have not advanced towards a deal definitely happening, they do suggest that Briatore is considering his driver options amid Alpine’s ongoing struggles. Bottas, who was dropped by Sauber at the end of last year, has made no secret of the fact he wants to get back into a full-time F1 race seat. While it was previously thought that the all-new Cadillac operation was his best hope, as talks between the Bottas camp and F1’s incoming team have already begun, the possibility of jumping into an Alpine seat could offer Bottas another F1 lifeline – both for later this year and into 2026. Sources suggest Mercedes would have no problem in letting Bottas take on an F1 return with Alpine, especially as it will become a Mercedes customer team from […]

Jun 30

by darren in The Feed 0 comments tags: F1, Lawson, Red Bull

Liam Lawson reflects on Red Bull axing

Liam Lawson has opened up about his early season Red Bull axing after scoring his best-ever finish in Formula 1. The 23-year-old came home an impressive sixth in a chaotic Austrian Grand Prix after a determined and measured drive at the Red Bull Ring, in a race that saw only 16 finishers and a number of frontrunners — including Max Verstappen — retire early. Most impressively, Lawson was one of just two drivers to make a one-stop strategy work in the scorching Styrian heat, holding off the experienced Fernando Alonso in the closing laps to secure eight valuable championship points and the best result of his F1 career. “It’s been a very, very tough race,” Lawson told Sky Sports F1 after the race. “I don’t even know how I survived it, to be honest.” The New Zealander was nearly taken out on the opening lap at Turn 3 after Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli misjudged his braking and came flying into the corner. He ended up missing Lawson and taking out Verstappen instead, with both retiring from the race. “I thought when I saw Kimi coming, I was like okay, this is over, but somehow we got out of it,” Lawson added. “Then […]

Jun 25

by darren in The Feed 0 comments tags: Nascar, van Gisbergen

Broken ribs for Van Gisbergen’s tyre changer in pit blunder

One of Shane van Gisbergen’s tyre changers suffered two broken ribs and a partially collapsed lung in an ugly pit stop incident at Pocono Raceway. The incident, which took place during the latest NASCAR Cup Series race, began when Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger messed up his pit box entry. That compromised one of Allmendinger’s tyre changers and pushed the crew member into the path of van Gisbergen, who cannoned into one of the tyres and sent it flying. The stray wheel shot into Trackhouse Racing tyre changer JP Kealey and sandwiched the rattle gun between his torso and the tyre. The former professional lacrosse player fell to the ground briefly before he completed the pit stop. Speaking on NASCAR podcast Stacking Pennies, fellow tyre changer Ryan Flores broke down the incident. “The #16 team is going to miss his pit stall and go deep, he hits his tyre carrier’s tyre which launches it into the #88,” Flores explained. “John Patrick Kealey. Let’s just say it boys, this is the dog of the week because I don’t think everybody understands what happened following this pit stop. “If you watch it in slow motion you go, ‘Okay, he got hit with the […]