BARNICOATJOINS BRITISHGTGRID

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Ben Barnicoat will take part in his first full British racing campaign when he tackles the British GT4 Championship this season with the Track Club Mclaren squad.

The 21-year-old will share a Mclaren 570S GT4 with series returnee Adam Balon this year.

Chesterfield-based Barnicoat was one of the UK’S brightest single-seater prospects, having been part of the Racing Steps Foundation until the programme ceased in 2017. He was a two-time winner in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship prior to his switch to GTS with the Strakka Racing Mclaren team in last year’s Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup. He is now a member of the Mclaren GT Driver Academy. His plans outside of British GT are yet to be confirmed.

Barnicoat said: “It’s going to be great doing British GT as it’s a brand new championship for me and it’ll be my first season of racing in Britain since karting in 2012, so there’s a lot to learn.

“I’ve done some development work on the 570S GT4, so I know what the car’s about and it’s a great piece of kit.

“It has less power and aero than the GT3 version I race I Europe, but it’s probably one of the most advanced GT4 cars available right now.

“I don’t know a huge amount about British GT. I’ve been friends with [reigning GT3 champion] Seb Morris since we were team-mates in 2014 [in Formula Renault], so I’ve checked in on what he’s been doing, but aside from that doing a Pro-am championship is all new to me, but I like a challenge.”

Balon scored two race wins in his maiden British GT season last term sharing with Adam Mackay. The two finished fourth in the GT4 points.

“I’m looking forward to working with Adam, he’s clearly got a lot of talent,” added Barnicoat.

“The team did a great job last season so when the chance to join them came up for this year I jumped at it. I’m a racer, I want to be out competing as much as possible.”