Ben Barnicoat is in his fourth season driving the No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3 in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, joined by Aaron Telitz in 2025.
The Chesterfield, England, native comes into the new year off two victories, one in GTD PRO and GTD, and three podium finishes during 2024 IMSA season, as well as helping Lexus finish fourth in the GTD PRO manufacturer point standings with Jack Hawksworth. Barnicoat, Hawksworth and Kyle Kirkwood captured the GTD PRO victory at Sebring early last season, the first triumph for Vasser Sullivan Lexus at the famed 12-hour endurance race.
Barnicoat was also victorious with Parker Thompson in the GTD class at Long Beach in April 2024, marking his second consecutive victory at Long Beach after winning in GTD PRO with Hawksworth the season prior. Barnicoat also captured a victory in the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans in the LMP2 Pro-Am class last year. In 2023, Barnicoat captured the IMSA GTD PRO class championship with Hawksworth, which was Lexus and Vasser Sullivan’s first GT category title, on the heels of two victories, four pole positions and nine podium finishes. One of those victories came in a GT class sweep by Vasser Sullivan, where both Lexus RC F GT3 entries captured victory at Watkins Glen International.
In his first season behind the wheel of the Lexus RC F GT3 with Vasser Sullivan, Barnicoat scored three victories, to go along with six podiums, on the way to a second-place championship finish in GTD PRO in 2022. Barnicoat teamed up with Hawksworth and Kyle Kirkwood to earn the historic first endurance victory for the Lexus RC F GT3 and Vasser Sullivan at the season-ending 2022 Petit Le Mans. Barnicoat and Kirkwood were also victorious in the GTD class at Detroit’s Raceway at Belle Isle Park that season. In 2022, Barnicoat also raced in the Asian Le Mans Series, where he won the Gulf 12 Hours title and secured the series’ championship. He also competed in the World Endurance Championship, earning multiple podium finishes.
Prior to joining Lexus, Barnicoat spent four years as a factory driver with McLaren. He previously competed in the GT World Challenge Europe where he earned two pole positions in 2021. During his tenure with McLaren, he played a key role in the development of the McLaren 720S GT3, finishing second in the car’s debut at the 2020 Bathurst 12 Hour. Barnicoat has competed in the European Le Mans Series and the Asian Le Mans Series, earning multiple race wins in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship and the Formula Renault Euro Cup, and was the 2014 Formula Renault NEC champion. He won multiple British and European Karting championships in the Cadet, Junior and Senior KF2 classes, including becoming the youngest senior British karting champion in 2012.
