Ollie Barstow

Ollie Barstow's picture

Ollie Barstow

Journalist

To say I am a veteran of Crash Media Group, would be something of an understatement. 

Indeed, I have spent almost half of my life with the company in variety of different capacities and roles, combining an exuberant passion for motorsport from a young age - sparked by receiving the 1995 BTCC Season Review VHS as a gift and obsessively watching it on repeat - with my enthusiasm for journalism, the written word and the buzz of breaking news first.

It took a chance meeting with an F3 driver’s press officer at the age of 17 to crack open the door at Crash.net, one that ultimately led to being offered work experience at the Silverstone round of the 2005 World Touring Car Championship.

Proceeding to dovetail my Journalism degree studies at university with helping out on the weekends, I began a full-time role with Crash.net in 2008 upon graduating covering the WorldSBK and BSB Championships. 

Since then I have amassed 15 years on the front-line representing CMG - both Crash.net and Visordown.com - as a journalist and editor across two-wheels and four-wheels covering motorsport series’ as diverse as F1, MotoGP, WorldSBK, BSB, Isle of Man TT, Le Mans, BTCC and more right in the heart of the paddock, as well established myself as a respected figure within the motorcycle industry specialising in breaking, sporting and industry news and features.

Unusually for this industry, my experience, expertise and reputation traverses both car and motorcycle racing disciplines at the highest level, which in turn has afforded me the opportunity interview and feature a diverse alumni of the sport’s highest-profile figures including Lewis Hamilton, Marc Marquez, Max Verstappen and Jonathan Rea.

From the nervous early days covering WorldSBK - a series I had never previously followed - in 2008, I’ve gone on to become renowned Superbike journalist, hold the hallowed F1 ‘red badge’ season pass, played a pivotal role in Crash.net and Visordown’s emergence as industry-revered, internationally reputed publications and had the pleasure of expressing my opinionated opinions about my passion to a wider audience.

It is also a pleasure to represent the LGBTQ+ community as an out and proud gay man in a motorsport industry that has always been an open and tolerant platform upon which to progress my career.

Fifteen years is a long time but no two working days have ever been the same…

Articles by Ollie Barstow
If sportsbikes are going out of fashion, then the 'sporty nakeds' are very much in vogue right now... but which are the best sub-1000cc options right now?
Adventure motorcycles are big business and it seems everyone has had a go... with varying degrees of success. Here are 10 of the more off-piste off-roaders
For those who like their motorcycling relaxed, easy going and comfortable there is nothing more chill than these Best 10 Cruiser Motorcycles under 1000cc
Sometimes a MotoGP project runs out of steam, money, enthusiasm, or all of the above! Here are some MotoGP racing motorcycles that you probably never even knew about!
Who'd have thought back in a different millennium that the Suzuki SV650 would still be going strong some 23 years later...? 
If the Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycle was just too ahead of its time, LiveWire as an electric brand is arguably well placed to bide its time 
The rugged QJ SVT 650 - using the Suzuki V-Strom 65- V-Twin engine - is set to broaden the Chinese giant's burgeoning European market footprint
Even the most esteemed F1 drivers need to get their kicks off track too... and for many high-profile four wheel stars, that means getting out on two wheels
Royal Enfield has altered its new model schedule to bring forward its first electric motorcycle to 2025, rather than 2026 as originally planned
The big-selling Yamaha XMAX lands for 2023 boasting a distinctive new style and improved connectivity and technology features
The Yamaha MT-125 and Yamaha MT-07 receive updates for 2023 with both nakeds receiving a fresh TFT colour dashboard and smartphone connectivity
Is rookie Fabio di Giannantonio questioning whether he has what it takes to succeed at the highest level of the MotoGP World Championship?
The Triumph Chrome Collection adds a dash of sparkle to the Triumph Modern Classics and Rocket 3 range for one year only...
Tommy Bridewell sets his sights on the 2023 British Superbike Championship (BSB) title as he switches from Moto Rapido to Paul Bird Motorsport Ducati
Olivier Lavorel dies from injuries sustained in an accident on the 2022 Isle of Man TT that also claimed the life of his Sidecar team-mate Cesar Chanal.
The Moto2-inspired KTM RC 8C is back for a second limited edition run of 200 models boasting more power and premium race-inspired components
Major Tim Peake, the first British man to walk in space, explains why riding two-wheels on Earth satisifies the curiosity that led him to outer space
A 14th win of the season in Race 2 at San Juan Villicum gives Alvaro Bautista an 82 point lead into the penultimate round in Indonesia with 124 to play for
The United Kingdom may not have Route 66 but when it comes to traversing the length of the M1 and M6, which Tourer or Power Cruiser will do it best?
Toprak Razgatlioglu stubbornly repels Alvaro Bautista's repeated advances in titanic tussle to claw back a handful of points in 2022 WorldSBK title fight
We like the majority of circuits on the British Superbike Championship (BSB) calendar... but we can still dream big when it comes to fun alternatives
Pecco Bagnaia prevails in an arduous fight for victory with Enea Bastianini to take big Malaysian MotoGP win... but Fabio Quartararo takes title to the wire.
Alvaro Bautista takes a significant stride towards the 2022 WorldSBK Championship title after dominating Race 1 as Toprak Razgatlioglu takes a tumble
The Yamaha R1 could grow some wings and get a power hike in honour of its 25th Anniversary to stave off the challenge of newer rivals
Toprak Razgatlioglu carries free practice form at San Juan Villicum through to Superpole by dominating qualifying; Rea, Bautista join him on front row