Ben George Barnicoat (born 20 December 1996) is a British racing driver. He is a Lexus Racing USA factory racing driver, making his IMSA Sportscar Championship debut in 2022. He claimed the GTD Pro championship title when he returned for a second season with Lexus and Vasser Sullivan Racing, scoring nine podium finishes on his way to securing a maiden IMSA title for him and Lexus.[1]
As a graduate of the Racing Steps Foundation, he has established himself as a mercurial winner across a range of different series.
Starting out in karting, Barnicoat stormed through the ranks, becoming multiple British and European karting champion, before graduating to single-seaters, where he enjoyed further success. After a transition into GT racing, Ben held the position of Factory Driver at McLaren, proving himself on the world stage, competing in the FIA World Endurance Championship, Bathurst 12 Hours, and outright championship titles at the Gulf 12 Hours and Asian Le Mans Series.
He took on the role with Lexus Racing in 2022, immediately delivering impressive performances, racing across the US. During the 2023 season, he scored nine podium finishes on the way to securing a maiden IMSA GTD Pro title for him and Lexus. 2024 saw him return to defend the title, taking memorable wins at the 12 Hours of Sebring and on the streets of Long Beach, before a podium result in Detroit. He also added LMP2 Pro Am victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans to his racing CV, competing with AF Corse.
2025 will see Ben return to the FIA World Endurance Championship for the full season, racing in the LM GT3 class with Akkodis ASP Team, as he continues his journey with Lexus.
Career
Karting
Born in Chesterfield, Barnicoat began his racing career in karting at the age of nine. In 2007 he clinched the WTP Cadet Open and Motors TV Cadet Karting Championship titles as well as becoming WTP "Little Green Man" Vice Champion.[2] In 2008 he graduated to KF3 category in which he participated in the MSAFormula Kart Starts championship and Kartmasters GP. He did remarkably well in both, securing 4th in Formula Kart Stars and 7th at Kartmasters. Barnicoat returned the year after and won Kartmasters GP, Formula Kart Stars and finished Vice-Champion in the Super One Junior Championship. By 2012, Barnicoat had claimed the CIK-FIA KF2 European Championship too. In 2015 Barnicoat claimed the Kart Masters GP Trophy in both the Senior Rotax and Iame X30 class, becoming the first driver to take two Kart Masters Championships in one day. Barnicoat has since continued to compete in the Kart Masters event and is now the most successful driver with 9 titles to his name. Claiming Snr X30 in 2017/18/19 and snr rotax too in 2019.[3]
On 15 November 2015, it was announced that Barnicoat would race with Prema Powerteam for the 2016 season. However, it was later announced that Barnicoat would switch to race with HitechGP.[6]
Barnicoat made the transition from single-seaters across into GT racing in 2017. The following six seasons have seen him compete - and win - on some of the biggest stages in motorsport. Appointed Factory Driver with McLaren a year later, Barnicoat took on the pivotal role in the development of the brand's latest range of GT racing cars. Barnicoat has also proven himself on the world stage with podium results at the Bathurst 12 Hour, Asian Le Mans Series, Intercontinental GT Challenge, GT World Challenge Europe, Pirelli World Challenge & the British GT Championship in both GT3 and GT4 classes, as well as back-to-back outright victories at the Gulf 12 Hours.
2022 saw Barnicoat appointed as Factory Driver with Lexus Racing USA and Vasser Sullivan Racing, contesting the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with the Lexus RC F GT3. In his debut season, Barnicoat scored notable victories, including a podium at the season opening Dayton 24 Hours, and a season finale victory at Petit Le Mans,[7] en route to finishing 2nd in the championship. Alongside this impressive debut full season of US racing, Barnicoat also secured the Asian Le Mans Series GT3 title, he successfully defended his title at the Gulf 12 Hours with 2 Seas Motorsport, and campaigned at the 24 Hours of Le Mans for a second year.
2023 saw Ben return to the IMSA championship, delivering an impressive run of form. Nine podiums, including two victories, from the season's 11 rounds delivered a first GTD Pro championship title for Lexus Racing, Vasser Sullivan, and Ben only in his second year competing in the championship. He completed the year by taking part in the Official Rookie Test for the World Endurance Championship, testing the Toyota GR010 Hybrid Hypercar.[8]
He returned in 2024 to defend his IMSA title, taking victories at the 12 Hours of Sebring[9] and on the streets of Long Beach,[10] with an additional podium finish in Detroit. Alongside his GT3 efforts, Ben also secured LMP2 Pro Am victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and made his Super Formula debut in Japan with Itochu Enex Team IMPUL at Autopolis.[11]
FIA Formula 3 Championship
On 30 July 2020, Carlin Buzz Racing announced that Enaam Ahmed and his sponsors had separated from the team, and that Barnicoat would be replacing him at the team.[12] In four races, he scored one point - a 10th-place finish in the first race of Silverstone.
Other racing activities
On 20 November 2021, Barnicoat raced a BriSCA F1 Stock Car at Skegness Stadium. He won the Consolation event, which allowed qualification for the meeting Final event, in which he finished in second place.
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