Ben Barnicoat


Ben Barnicoat is a British racing driver who is a McLaren Automotive Customer Racing Factory Driver. He was also part of the McLaren young driver programme from 2010 to 2015.

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. In 2008 he graduated to KF3 category in which he participated in the MSA Formula Kart Starts championship and Kartmasters GP. He did remarkably well in both, securing 4th in Formula Kart Stars and 7th at Kartmasters. Ben 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.

Formula Renault

In 2013 Barnicoat made his début in single-seaters, taking part in the Protyre Formula Renault Autumn Cup for Fortec Motorsports, and won the cup with two wins.
Barnicoat continued his collaboration with Fortec into 2014, competing in the Formula Renault 2.0 NEC and Formula Renault 2.0 Alps series.

European Formula 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 race with HitechGP after being removed from the Prema Powerteam by Lawrence Stroll.

Sportscar Career

Since joining McLaren as a factory driver in 2017, Barnicoat has proven himself to be a GT ace with podiums and race wins across the Intercontinental GT Challenge, GT World Challenge Europe, Pirelli World Challenge & the British GT Championship in both GT3 and GT4 McLaren Machinery. In 2019 Barnicoat also made his LMP2 debut with the Thunderhead Carlin Motorsport where he had pole positions and race wins across the 2019 European Le Mans Series & 2019 Asian Le Mans Series.

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.

Racing record

Career summary

† As Barnicoat was a guest driver, he was ineligible for points.
* Season still in progress.

Complete FIA Formula 3 European Championship results

YearEntrantEngine123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930DCPts
2016HitechGPMercedesLEC
1
4		LEC
2
Ret		LEC
3
11		HUN
1
9		HUN
2
10		HUN
3
1		PAU
1
1		PAU
2
5		PAU
3
11		RBR
1
10		RBR
2
15		RBR
3
5		NOR
1
5		NOR
2
Ret		NOR
3
DSQ		ZAN
1
18		ZAN
2
8		ZAN
3
9		SPA
1
3		SPA
2
11		SPA
3
20		NÜR
1
9		NÜR
2
Ret		NÜR
3
10		IMO
1
8		IMO
2
Ret		IMO
3
13		HOC
1
18		HOC
2
9		HOC
3
7		9th134

Complete Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup results

Complete British GT Championship results

YearTeamCarClass123456789DCPoints
2018Track-ClubMcLaren 570S GT4GT4OUL
1
14		OUL
2
18		ROC
1
28		SNE
1
16		SNE
2
Ret		SIL
1		SPA
1
DNS		BRH
1		13th43
2018Balfe Motorsport/PMW Expo RacingMcLaren 570S GT4GT4DON
1
Ret		13th43

Complete European Le Mans Series results

YearEntrantClassChassisEngine123456RankPoints
2019Thunderhead Carlin RacingLMP2Dallara P217Gibson GK428 4.2 L V8LEC
11		MNZ
11		CAT
9		SIL
Ret		SPA
ALG
Ret		25th3