Ben Barker (racing driver)

Ben Barker
Barker in 2023
NationalityUnited Kingdom British
Born (1991-04-23) 23 April 1991 (age 33)
Cambridge, United Kingdom
FIA World Endurance Championship career
Debut season2016
Current teamProton Competition
Racing licence FIA Gold
Car number77
Co-driverRyan Hardwick, Zacharie Robichon
Former teamsGR Racing
Starts45 (45 entries)
Wins0
Podiums3
Poles0
Fastest laps3
Best finish6th (LMGTE Am) in 2017
Championship titles
2010Australian 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]

  1. ^ "Pilote des 24 heures du Mans : Benjamin William Barker". www.24h-en-piste.com (in French). Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  2. ^ Lloyd, Daniel (10 February 2022). "GR Racing Signs Pera to Porsche GTE-Am Crew". Sportscar365. John Dagys Media. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference LeadGulf was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference LapRecord was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Pettit, Vince (13 June 2023). "GR Racing Achieves Lifelong Ambition with Podium Finish at Le Mans 24 Hours". The Checkered Flag. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  6. ^ Kilbey, Stephen (23 February 2024). "Barker Ready For Life As A Ford Factory Driver". Dailysportscar. Retrieved 23 February 2024.