Hawksworth and Barnicoat continue with VSR Lexus for 2023 IMSA campaign
Vasser Sullivan has confirmed that Jack Hawksworth and Ben Barnicoat will continue to race the #14 Lexus RC F in the IMSA SportsCar Championship's GTD Pro in 2023.
Hawksworth and Barnicoat powered the VS Lexus team to second in this year's GTD Pro standings on the strength of two wins, four other podium finishes and two pole positions. Success included glory in the prestigious Petit Le Mans, along with IndyCar racer Kyle Kirkwood.
Barnicoat finished second in standings and even Hawksworth clinched sixth despite missing two races due to an injury in a training accident.
Next year will mark Hawksworth’s seventh season with Lexus and fifth with Vasser Sullivan, and the 31-year-old has earned a total of eight wins and 16 podiums in the last four seasons piloting the #14 Lexus RC F GT3.
Hawksworth said: “The target is to win the championship, but the competition will only get tougher. We will need to continue to improve and move forward as a team and bring our 'A' game every weekend if we are to make this a reality.
“It's great to be back alongside Ben again and the rest of the Vasser Sullivan team. We are up for the fight!"
For Barnicoat, it will be his second season with the Vasser Sullivan team. Along with his two GTD Pro victories, the 25-year-old was also victorious in GTD with Kirkwood at Detroit in June.
INSIGHT: The British pair at the heart of Lexus's IMSA push
#14 VasserSullivan Lexus RC F GT3: Jack Hawksworth, Ben Barnicoat
Photo by: Brett Farmer / Motorsport Images
“I’m thrilled to officially announce that I’ll be back with Lexus Racing, Vasser Sullivan and Jack for the 2023 IMSA season!” Barnicoat said.
“I loved being a part of the family we have here, and we achieved amazing things together, so to go into the next season with that continuity is great. Teaming up with Jack again for the full season will give us a perfect driver line-up to go for the overall title.”
Team principals Jimmy Vasser and James Sullivan added: “We have a mantra that Vasser Sullivan is built not bought. Jack has been a rock-solid cornerstone of building Vasser Sullivan Lexus into a championship contender. Ben joined us last season and quickly made some noise.
“Together Jack and Ben push us to be our best, and starting with the Rolex 24 next month, we’re ready to attack the GTD Pro championship with these two.”
The endurance race extras for the #14 will be announced in the next two weeks. As in 2022, Vasser Sullivan will also run an RC F in the GTD class, with a driver announcement described as “forthcoming”.
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