darren, Author at Octane Photography

Nov 07

by darren in Track 0 comments tags: Bathurst, Kostecki, Supercars

Back to Back for Brodie

Brodie Kostekie goes back to back for Pole at the 2024 Bathurst 1000 for Erebus Motorsport

Nov 02

by darren in The Feed 0 comments tags: MotoGP, Valencia

Five alternative venues are reportedly being considered as replacements after the Valencia MotoGP was cancelled. Deadly floods in Valencia, where the final round of the MotoGP season is scheduled in two weeks, have caused a last-gasp re-think. MotoGP confirmed on Friday that their season-finale in Valencia was cancelled although a new plan has not yet been confirmed. The Valencia MotoGP was due on November 15-17 but wherever the replacement round is held, the date is expected to be pushed back. The likeliest weekend for the rearranged MotoGP round is November 22-24, a week later than the Valencia MotoGP was planned. The postseason test, scheduled for Tuesday November 19, will also have to be rearranged in line for the new race weekend. MotoGP statement: “MotoGP stands with the Community of Valencia following the devastating floods that have affected the area. Our hearts are with all those who have been lost and those who have lost so much. “We have been in constant contact with the local authorities and the circuit to best assess how we can help and how we should proceed. We have a responsibility to every region where we race that goes far beyond the sport and the events. […]

Oct 30

by darren in The Feed 0 comments tags: Irwin, Road Racing

Glenn Irwin announces retirement from Road Racing

Glenn Irwin will no longer take part in Road Racing events from 2025 as he switches his focus to the Bennetts British Superbike Championship (BSB). After achieving high levels of success at the North West 200 and taking part in the Isle of Man TT Irwin has decided to end his time in Road Racing. The 34-year-old will instead switch all of his focus to the 2025 Bennetts British Superbike campaign. The Northern Irishman finished third in the 2024 British Superbike season for the Hager PBM Team. However, Irwin is targeting his first British Superbike title in 2025. Irwin has proven that he is a talented short circuit and road racer throughout his career. In 2022 Irwin tackled the iconic Isle of Man TT for the first time in his career with the Honda Racing UK squad. During his time at the TT Irwin’s best lap was clocked at 129.85 mph, making him the fastest-ever newcomer. In addition to the Isle of Man TT, Irwin has raced in the North West 200 and Ulster Grand Prix. In the 2024 season, Irwin won three races at the North West 200, taking his overall victory count to 11. When speaking about his […]

Oct 30

by darren in The Feed 0 comments tags: Ducatti, Iannone, MotoGP

Iannone to make first MotoGP start since drug ban

The VR46 Racing Team has confirmed that Andrea Iannone will replace Fabio Di Giannantonio at the Grand Prix of Malaysia next weekend. This follows Di Giannantonio’s announcement last week that he would be ending his season early for surgery. His final race of the 2024 season was the recent Thai GP, where he secured fourth place. The VR46 rider dislocated his shoulder during the Austrian Grand Prix weekend and is expected to undergo surgery this Saturday. Recently rumored for a one-off MotoGP return, Iannone has been competing in the World Superbike Championship since his four-year doping ban in 2019, with GoEleven Ducati. This year, he secured a contract extension through the 2025 season. Speaking about his return to the world of MotoGP, Iannone said: “Riding the world champion bike is exciting. MotoGP™ is the most technological and high-performance bike, I’m honored that they thought of me and I felt like I had to say yes to this opportunity immediately as soon as it was offered to me. The challenge is certainly crazy, complex and demanding, as I haven’t ridden a bike in this category for years and without having done tests or similar. I’m excited to be able to work […]

Oct 28

by darren in The Feed 0 comments tags: Erebus, Kostecki, Supercars

Should Kostecki have stayed at Erebus

As Brodie Kostecki nears the end of his tenure, Erebus Motorsport is back to its winning best and Dick Johnson Racing is mired in the midpack. The frayed relationship between the respective parties has long been intimated and for reasons never fully explained publicly by anyone, Kostecki sat out the first two rounds of 2024. Kostecki returned for the third event in Taupō where Erebus Motorsport CEO Barry Ryan put a stake in the ground – the drivers’ championship was a distant dream but the team would win the Bathurst 1000. He was true to his word. After winning the Great Race, that momentum continued on the streets of Surfers Paradise where Kostecki enjoyed his first solo win of the season. So what changed? “It’s been a bit of a momentum shift in the last three or four months. Everybody is happy and excited to be racing again,” said Ryan after the Gold Coast 500. “At the start of the year was a shit fight. We’ve got to be honest about it, we dug deep and we’re all in a good head space including this champion. “I’m just so proud of the way he’s got through the year. “We had […]

Oct 27

by darren in Track 0 comments tags: Bagnaia, Buriram, MotoGP

Bagnaia Pole Lap Buriram 2024

MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia twice smashed the lap record in warm and humid conditions at the Buriram International Circuit on Saturday to take pole for the 2024 Thailand MotoGP.

Oct 26

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

Honda Helps Yuki Tsunoda twists Red Bull’s arm to test F1 car

Yuki Tsunoda has thanked Honda for pushing Red Bull into giving him a test in their F1 car. Despite being within the Red Bull family since 2021, Tsunoda has rarely been mentioned as a serious candidate to be Max Verstappen’s teammate. This season he outperformed RB teammate Daniel Ricciardo who has now been replaced by Liam Lawson. Yet, Lawson is more regularly touted for the Red Bull drive than Tsunoda. But Honda – the Japanese manufacturer who back Tsunoda and are partners of Red Bull – have interjected to request a test drive. “It’s a very good opportunity,” Tsunoda said to Motorsport. “At least I finally can show a bit of my driving and they just can see how I’m driving. “I think it’s very important. So at least it feels great. Finally, they’re giving me an opportunity. “I don’t know if it still happens or not, but there’s something even I heard from them directly. I try to maximise my opportunity. “Definitely Honda helped me to push that testing. I am very appreciative of them. “Obviously, I was pushing since the first race, as well, even for last year. I was able to show results that I [have] stepped […]

Oct 24

by darren in The Feed 0 comments tags: MotoGP, Stoner

Casey Stoner Australian Grand Prix crash a result of MotoGP aero

Two-times MotoGP World Champion Casey Stoner has blamed downforce aerodynamics for a huge crash at last weekend’s Australian MotoGP race. The incident in question occurred in Saturday’s MotoGP Sprint, when Maverick Vinales passed Marco Bezzecchi on the run into turn one. Vinales edged towards the outside of the track after passing Bezzecchi to take a better line through the first corner, but Bezzecchi then ran into the back of the Aprilia rider under braking and both riders fell. “This is the result of aero,” Stoner commented on an Instagram post from the official MotoGP account. “The wake caused by them at that speed is too much.” Stoner made his opinions on downforce aerodynamics clear also earlier this year when he appeared on the Ducati Diaries podcast with Neil Hodgson. The two-times MotoGP World Champion explained that the aerodynamics, in combination with ride height devices and electronics, work to reduce the quality of racing in MotoGP by increasing grip and therefore reducing the chance for riders to make mistakes. Bezzecchi was awarded a long lap penalty for his role in the incident. One lap after serving it in Sunday’s Grand Prix at turn four, Bezzecchi crashed at the same corner before […]

Oct 20

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

Wildlife conspires against Jack Miller

Jack Miller’s Saturday at the 2024 MotoGP Australian Grand Prix was severely hindered by several wildlife strikes in qualifying and the sprint. The KTM rider had to go through the Q1 session on Saturday morning, but couldn’t advance on 16th after a rabbit strike left his RC16 fairing with damage. Then in the sprint, Miller hit a seagull on the opening lap at Turn 1 which left a “gaping hole” on the right side of his front fairing. The dead bird got wedged between the fairing and the brake lever, while the damage to his bike led to a severe drop in straightline speed. The Australian was able to make his way up to eighth despite all of this, before a “nothing crash” ended his race on lap eight of 13. “It could have been a better Saturday,” Miller began. “I had a good start in the Sprint from a not-great qualifying position and tipping into Turn 1 off the start a seagull flew into the front of the bike, which wasn’t ideal. “I tried to do what I could on the first lap to get rid of it but I couldn’t so I focused on the job at hand, […]

Oct 16

by darren in The Feed 0 comments tags: Formula1, Haas, Toyota

Haas for Sale

Haas’ new partnership with Toyota that begins in Austin is a “clear sign” that the American team is “for sale”, says Ralf Schumacher. Haas and Toyota announced on Friday that Toyota Gazoo Racing, the Japanese company’s motorsport competition arm, would become Haas’ official technical partner in a multi-year deal. The deal effectively brings Toyota back to the F1 grid from the next race of 2024, the United States Grand Prix, with Toyota Gazoo president Tomoya Takahashi describing it as “competing” alongside Haas. While the F1 team will benefit from Toyota’s resources in the form of design, technical, and manufacturing services, including using their simulator expertise and wind tunnel, Haas will give Toyota Gazoo access to their F1 team with drivers, engineers and mechanics participating in Haas’ TPC [testing of a previous car] outings. But while the new partnership will have no impact on Haas’ current relationship with Ferrari, who supply the American team with engines and other parts for the car, it is expected to grow in the coming years at Toyota Gazoo personnel will be involved in aerodynamics development. Toyota though, were adamant there’s no background talk about becoming an engine supplier or even running a team, which they […]