Ben Barker (racing driver)

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Ben Barker
File:Ben Barker in 2023.jpg
Barker in 2023
Nationality United Kingdom British
Born (1991-04-23) 23 April 1991 (age 33)
Cambridge, United Kingdom
FIA World Endurance Championship career
Debut season 2016
Current team Proton Competition
Car no. 77
Codriver Ryan Hardwick, Zacharie Robichon
Former teams GR Racing
Starts 45 (45 entries)
Wins 0
Poles 0
Fastest laps 3
Best finish 6th (LMGTE Am) in 2017
Championship titles
2010 Australian Drivers' Championship

Benjamin William "Ben" Barker[1] (born 23 April 1991) is a British professional racing driver currently competing in the FIA World Endurance Championship with GR Racing.[2] A Porsche stalwart for over a decade, he is an Australian Formula 3 champion, a Porsche Carrera Cup GB runner-up, a four-time Bathurst 12 Hour class winner and a Dubai 24 Hour overall winner. Despite limited success in the FIA World Endurance Championship, Barker is considered one of the strongest GTE Am drivers, having broken the lap record for the category at the 2018 24 Hours of Le Mans.[3][4]

In 2023, Barker finished on the 24 Hours of Le Mans class podium, having played an instrumental role in his team's charge towards the front.[5] Ahead of the 2024 season, Barker left GR Racing after eight seasons to become a Ford factory driver, moving to Proton Competition.[6]

Early career

Having started his career in karts in 2004, Barker would step into the British Formula Ford Championship in 2009 with Fluid Motorsport Development.[7] Following a year in which he scored one win at Knockhill, the Brit would migrate to Australia for a season in the 2010 Australian Formula 3 Championship.[8] He won the title by one point versus Mitch Evans, having taken six race wins.

File:Dallara F307 of Ben Barker.jpg
Barker in 2010, his Australian Formula 3 title-winning season

Sportscar career

National Porsche Cups

Barker moved into the Australian Porsche Carrera Cup in 2011, remaining with Team BRM, where he would finish fifth in the standings. The following year saw him return to Britain, partaking in a full-time campaign in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB.[9] Despite having to wait for his first victory until the round at Knockhill, Barker would finish second in the championship, having won five races in a row in the latter half of the season.[10][11]

Porsche Supercup

In 2013, Barker graduated to the Porsche Supercup as part of Team Bleekemolen.[12] With a best result of fourth at the final round, Barker finished tenth in the overall standings and third in the rookie classification.[13][14] At the end of the year, Barker would receive a silver ranking by the FIA.[15]

Remaining in the Supercup for 2014, Barker would score one podium for the Lechner Racing Team.[16] As well as this, 2014 also saw Barker pair up with businessman Michael Wainwright at his team Gulf Racing in the LMGTE class of the European Le Mans Series, driving a Porsche 911 RSR.[17] Finally, Barker made six appearances for GB Autosport in the United SportsCar Championship.[18]

At the start of 2015, Barker would be upgraded to gold by the FIA.[19] He switched to MOMO-Megatron Team PARTRAX in the Porsche Supercup, where a podium at Monaco helped him to ninth in the standings. He also appeared in the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany, in which the Briton scored two podiums.[20]

Tenure with GR Racing

Before the 2016 season, it was announced that Barker would partner Michael Wainwright and Adam Carroll at Gulf Racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship.[21][22] Driving in the LMGTE Am category, the trio scored four fourth places and finished fifth in class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, thereby ending up sixth in the teams' championship. Barker partook in a round of the ELMS with Proton Competition, scoring a pole position at Estoril.[23]

Barker remained with Wainwright and Gulf Racing for the 2017 season, this time being partnered by Nick Foster.[24] Their results improved, as Barker was able to guide the team to third place at Mexico and to second in Shanghai, though the team would once again finish the championship as the lowest full-time entrant with fifth place overall.

For the 2018–19 WEC "super-season", Barker and Wainwright were joined by Alex Davison for the first three rounds and by Thomas Preining during subsequent events.[25] The season itself brought few peaks, with the team failing to score a podium, thought their consistency of finishing every race would bring Gulf Racing sixth in the standings. Barker managed to stand out, setting a new lap record for his category at the 2018 24 Hours of Le Mans.[4] During these two years Barker would also win the Bathurst 12 Hour race in the GT3 Cup class, having previously won this race in 2014 driving in the same category.[26][27]

In the 2019–20 WEC campaign, Barker, Wainwright, and new teammate Andrew Watson managed to score a lone podium in Bahrain, finishing third.[28] They ended up seventh in the standings, having once again completed every race. At the start of 2020, Barker would attain overall victory at the Dubai 24 Hours and took another Bathurst victory, this one coming in the GT3 Pro-Am class.[29][30]

The 2021 season proved to be a disappointment, as the team dropped to twelfth and last of all full-time LMGTE Am entries with a best race result of sixth place.[31][32]

Having started his 2022 season by leading Dinamic Motorsport in the Asian Le Mans Series, Barker returned to GR Racing with Wainwright and new silver-ranked driver Riccardo Pera.[33][34][35] Even though they missed the opening round, the team improved by scoring a then-record fourth place at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and rising to eighth in the teams' standings.[36][37] Barker would play his part, setting two overall fastest laps in class at Spa and Monza.

The team retained their lineup for the 2023 WEC season, the last of the LMGTE era.[38] The year proved to be the team's magnum opus, as Barker helped GR to finish third at the Centenary Le Mans 24 Hours, where Barker proved to be the fastest LMGTE driver, before managing another third place in Monza.[39][40][41] These two podiums helped the team to sixth in the championship. Barker concluded his tenure with GR Racing by racing in the 2023–24 Asian Le Mans Series, stating that Wainwright and the team had "put [him] on a pedestal" by giving him the chance to race in the WEC for seven seasons.[42]

Ford factory driver

At the end of 2023, it was announced that Barker would become part of the Ford factory driver lineup in the WEC.[43] He would migrate to Proton Competition, driving a Ford Mustang GT3 alongside Zacharie Robichon and Ryan Hardwick in 2024.[44]

Racing record

Racing career summary

Season Series Team Races Wins Poles F/Laps Podiums Points Position
2009 British Formula Ford Championship Fluid Motorsport Development 24 1 1 1 1 272 8th
Formula Ford Festival 3 0 0 0 1 N/A 4th
2010 Australian Formula 3 Championship - Gold Star Team BRM 20 6 1 10 12 220 1st
Australian Formula 3 Championship - East Coast Shootout 8 3 0 5 6 101 1st
Australian Formula Ford Championship 2 0 0 0 0 0 NC†
Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series MW Motorsport 2 0 0 0 0 156 31st
2011 Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Team BRM 21 2 2 3 6 755 5th
Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain Parr Motorsport 4 0 0 1 2 45 17th
Radical Australia Cup Excaliber Racing 2 1 0 1 2 0 NC†
PSCRAA Enduro Championship Quintessence Construction 2 0 0 0 0 0 NC†
2012 Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain Parr Motorsport 20 5 5 5 9 282 2nd
Historic Grand Prix of Monaco - F3 pre-1985 1 1 1 1 1 N/A 1st
2013 Porsche Supercup Team Bleekemolen 9 0 0 0 0 66 10th
Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Team BetterLife 2 0 0 0 1 0 NC†
2014 Porsche Supercup VERVA Lechner Racing Team 10 0 0 0 1 96 6th
European Le Mans Series - GTC Gulf Racing UK 4 0 0 0 0 26 12th
United Sports Car Championship - GTD GB Autosport 6 0 0 0 0 139 26th
Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain Parr Motorsport 3 3 1 2 3 22 19th
Porsche Carrera Cup 24H Le Mans Support Race - Class A 1 1 0 0 1 N/A 1st
Bathurst 12 Hour - Class B Grove Motorsport[45] 1 1 0 0 1 N/A 1st
2015 Porsche Supercup MOMO-Megatron Team PARTRAX 9 0 0 0 1 69 9th
Porsche Carrera Cup Germany - Class A Land Motorsport 17 0 0 0 2 101 12th
Bathurst 12 Hour - Class B Grove Group 1 0 0 0 1 N/A 2nd
2016 FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGTE Am Gulf Racing 9 0 0 0 0 106 7th
24 Hours of Le Mans - LMGTE Am 1 0 0 0 0 N/A 5th
Porsche Supercup MOMO-Megatron Team PARTRAX 4 0 0 0 0 43 12th
European Le Mans Series - GTE Proton Competition 1 0 1 0 0 11 18th
GT3 Le Mans Cup Mentos Racing 1 0 0 0 1 18 11th
IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD TRG-AMR 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC†
2017 FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGTE Am Gulf Racing[3][46] 9 0 0 0 2 97 6th
24 Hours of Le Mans - LMGTE Am 1 0 0 0 0 N/A 10th
Le Mans Cup - GT3 4 1 1 3 2 44.5 6th
Bathurst 12 Hour - Class B (GT3 Cup) Grove Motorsport 1 0 1 1 0 0 NC†
2018 European Le Mans Series - GTE Gulf Racing[4] 2 0 0 0 0 10 12th
24 Hours of Le Mans - LMGTE Am 1 0 0 1 0 N/A 10th
Bathurst 12 Hour - Class B (GT3 Cup) Grove Racing[47][48] 1 1 1 0 1 N/A 1st
2018–19 FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGTE Am Gulf Racing UK 8 0 0 1 0 79 7th
2019 Bathurst 12 Hour - Class B (GT3 Cup) Grove Racing 1 1 1 0 1 N/A 1st
24 Hours of Le Mans - LMGTE Am Gulf Racing 1 0 0 0 0 N/A 8th
2019–20 FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGTE Am Gulf Racing 8 0 0 0 1 85 9th
2020 European Le Mans Series - GTE Gulf Racing UK 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC†
24 Hours of Le Mans - LMGTE Am 1 0 0 0 0 N/A 5th
24H GT Series Continents' - GT3 Pro Black Falcon 1 1 0 0 1 30 3rd
Dubai 24 Hour - GT3 Pro 1 1 0 0 1 N/A 1st
Bathurst 12 Hour - Class A (GT3 Pro/Am) Grove Racing[49][50] 1 1 0 0 1 N/A 1st
2021 FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGTE Am GR Racing 6 0 0 0 0 23 15th
24 Hours of Le Mans - LMGTE Am 1 0 0 0 0 N/A 14th
International GT Open - Pro Cup Lechner Racing 2 0 1 0 2 18 13th
British GT Cup Championship - GTH In2 Racing 4 2 0 0 3 0 NC†
2022 Asian Le Mans Series - GT Dinamic Motorsport 4 0 0 0 0 5.5 13th
FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGTE Am GR Racing 5 0 0 2 0 50 10th
24 Hours of Le Mans - LMGTE Am 1 0 0 0 0 N/A 4th
GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup Barwell Motorsport 0 0 0 0 0 0 NC
GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup - Pro-Am 0 0 1 0 0 1 7th
GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup Barwell Motorsport 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
Allied Racing 1 0 0 0 0
GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup - Gold Barwell Motorsport[51] 1 0 0 0 0 18 15th
Allied Racing 1 0 0 1 0
Bathurst 12 Hour - Class A (GT3 Pro/Am) Grove Racing 1 0 0 0 0 N/A DNF
2023 Asian Le Mans Series - GT Dinamic GT 0 0 0 0 0 0 23rd
Kessel Racing 1 0 0 0 0
FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGTE Am GR Racing 7 0 0 0 2 64 6th
24 Hours of Le Mans - LMGTE Am 1 0 0 0 1 N/A 3rd
GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup Dinamic GT Huber Racing 3 0 0 0 0 0 NC
Dinamic GT 2 0 0 0 0
2023–24 Asian Le Mans Series - GT GR Racing 4 0 0 0 0 6 25th
2024 FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGT3 Proton Competition 1 0 0 0 0 0* NC*

† As Barker was a guest driver, he was ineligible to score points.
* Season still in progress.


Complete Porsche Supercup results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Pos. Points
2013 Team Bleekemolen CAT
10		 MON
9		 SIL
9		 GER
6		 HUN
16		 SPA
9		 MNZ
12		 UAE
4		 UAE
9		 10th 66
2014 Verva Lechner Racing Team CAT
3		 MON
5		 RBR
8		 SIL
9		 GER
10		 HUN
8		 SPA
7		 MNZ
9		 USA
7		 USA
4		 6th 96
2015 MOMO Megatron Team PARTRAX CAT
9		 MON
3		 RBR
19		 SIL
4		 HUN
12		 SPA
6		 SPA
8		 MNZ
Ret		 MNZ
DNS		 USA
C		 USA
6		 9th 69

Complete FIA World Endurance Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Class Car Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Rank Points
2016 Gulf Racing LMGTE Am Porsche 911 RSR Porsche 4.0 L Flat-6 SIL
Ret		 SPA
5		 LMS
3		 NÜR
5		 MEX
4		 COA
4		 FUJ
4		 SHA
6		 BHR
4		 7th 106
2017 Gulf Racing LMGTE Am Porsche 911 RSR Porsche 4.0 L Flat-6 SIL
4		 SPA
Ret		 LMS
5		 NÜR
5		 MEX
3		 COA
Ret		 FUJ
4		 SHA
2		 BHR
5		 6th 97
2018–19 Gulf Racing UK LMGTE Am Porsche 911 RSR Porsche 4.0 L Flat-6 SPA
7		 LMS
6		 SIL
6		 FUJ
4		 SHA
9		 SEB
4		 SPA
7		 LMS
4		 7th 79
2019–20 Gulf Racing LMGTE Am Porsche 911 RSR Porsche 4.0 L Flat-6 SIL
4		 FUJ
8		 SHA
9		 BHR
3		 COA
6		 SPA
10		 LMS
5		 BHR
5		 9th 85
2021 GR Racing LMGTE Am Porsche 911 RSR-19 Porsche 4.2 L Flat-6 SPA
Ret		 ALG
8		 MNZ
8		 LMS
9		 BHR
6		 BHR
9		 15th 23
2022 GR Racing LMGTE Am Porsche 911 RSR-19 Porsche 4.2 L Flat-6 SEB SPA
6		 LMS
3		 MNZ
12		 FUJ
12		 BHR
6		 10th 50
2023 GR Racing LMGTE Am Porsche 911 RSR-19 Porsche 4.2 L Flat-6 SEB
7		 PRT
11		 SPA
12		 LMS
3		 MNZ
3		 FUJ
8		 BHR
8		 6th 64
2024 Proton Competition LMGT3 Ford Mustang GT3 Ford Coyote 5.4 L V8 QAT
11		 IMO SPA LMS SÃO COA FUJ BHR NC* 0*

* Season still in progress.

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
2016 United Kingdom Gulf Racing United Kingdom Adam Carroll
United Kingdom Michael Wainwright		 Porsche 911 RSR GTE
Am		 328 33rd 5th
2017 United Kingdom Gulf Racing UK Australia Nick Foster
United Kingdom Michael Wainwright		 Porsche 911 RSR GTE
Am		 328 38th 10th
2018 United Kingdom Gulf Racing Australia Alex Davison
United Kingdom Michael Wainwright		 Porsche 911 RSR GTE
Am		 283 40th 10th
2019 United Kingdom Gulf Racing Austria Thomas Preining
United Kingdom Michael Wainwright		 Porsche 911 RSR GTE
Am		 331 38th 8th
2020 United Kingdom Gulf Racing United Kingdom Michael Wainwright
United Kingdom Andrew Watson		 Porsche 911 RSR GTE
Am		 337 29th 5th
2021 United Kingdom GR Racing United Kingdom Tom Gamble
United Kingdom Michael Wainwright		 Porsche 911 RSR-19 GTE
Am		 322 43rd 14th
2022 United Kingdom GR Racing Italy Riccardo Pera
United Kingdom Michael Wainwright		 Porsche 911 RSR-19 GTE
Am		 340 37th 4th
2023 United Kingdom GR Racing Italy Riccardo Pera
United Kingdom Michael Wainwright		 Porsche 911 RSR-19 GTE
Am		 312 29th 3rd

References

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  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  35. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  36. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  37. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  38. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  39. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  49. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  50. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  51. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

Sporting positions
Preceded by Winner of the Australian Drivers' Championship
2010		 Succeeded by
Chris Gilmour

Template:WEC LMGTE Am teams

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