Ben Barker with FORD for the first year
📷 © Luc Warnotte at ROLEX 24 at Daytona 2024. #55 Proton Competition Ford Mustang GT3
Announced as a Ford sports car factory driver in December 2023, Ben Barker will race the #77 Proton Competition Ford Mustang GT3 in the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship. We met Ben at Lusail prior to the WEC Prologue.
CRR: What was your finest racing moment so far?
Ben Barker: “There are many moments.
It is always nice to win a championship so I would put on top winning the Australian F3 Championship in 2010 in my second year of racing. Then I moved fairly quick in Porsche Cup racing in different parts of the world in different cup series.
I was vice-champion in the UK with a string of five wins and five pole positions in a row in the last 7 races which was a nice feeling.
I won the Le Mans Cup, which was merging France, UK, Benelux in 2014.”
CRR: You’ve been quite successful in Australia with a win of the Australian F3 Championship in 2010 and three class B wins at the Bathurst 12 Hour in 2014, 2018 and 2020. Why racing in Asia-Pac as home is in England?
📷 Courtesy of FORD. Ben Barker.
Ben Barker: “It was budget related. For me, to do a Championship in F3 was the same cost over there than driving a Fomula Ford in the UK. I just didn’t have the funding to go for a F3 Championship in Europe. It was triple if not quadruple the budget. I also did Porsche Cup in Australia as my sponsor was covering both championships. It made sense to stay there, and I don’t regret any of it because of the lifestyle over there. Australia was a pretty cool place to be in at that time. Being in the early stages of Bathurst 12 Hour, which we won several times (2014, 2018 et 2020), as well as the PRO-AM in GT3 was great! That is an awesome race. When you race it once, you want to go back every year.”
CRR: Did you race at Spa and Nürburgring for their 24 Hours races?
Ben Barker:
“I did the 24 Hours of Spa for the first time last year. We didn’t make it to the finish. It was a chaotic race as we had some problems with body damage, but still a lot of fun. It is one that I’d like to do again.
📷 © Luc Warnotte at 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps 2023. Philipp Sager, Benjamin Barker, Marius Nakken, Christopher ZöchlingDinamic GT Huber Racing
I raced on the Nürburgring but not the 24 Hours race. I know the track but in a different way. That is another box that I want to tick.”
CRR: You raised the budget issue for drivers earlier. When did you become a factory driver?
Ben Baker: “It is my first time with Ford this year. I have raced with customer team and privateer teams. I’ve been with GR Racing for 10 years, starting in ELMS in 2014. I had a break in 2015 because I became silver and then from 2016 in WEC until last year (7 podiums out of 52 starts (2016-2023) with #86 Gulf Racing in WEC GTE Am). I also raced with other privateer teams - a lot with bronze drivers - coaching and helping the less experienced drivers come through it.
📷 © Luc Warnotte at ROLEX 24 at Daytona 2024. #55 Proton Competition Ford Mustang GT3.
I got a call from Ford to drive. It is the first time for me as factory driver; it is an opportunity that I couldn’t refuse. It comes with new pressures and different pressures where I’ll need to adjust. It’ll all be good when the program really starts. It has been a lot of waiting around for me so far. I look forward to this week and next weekend.”
CRR: It must have been quite heartbreaking to leave Mike Wainwright’s GR Racing with whom you’ve been racing in WEC since 2016?
Ben Barker: “Yes it was, but the relationship doesn’t end. We’ll always be friends. A lot of team members are very good friends now. When you spend 10 years in a place, and you stay that long for a reason, it is generally because of the people. Those relationships won’t go anywhere. The working relationship ends now, but you never know in the future. Maybe we do some Le Mans Classic with their RSR - that would be cool. Not right now because I’m very much Ford at the moment.”
CRR: When was the decision taken to go with FORD?
Ben Barker: “It was at the very end of last year. The discussions started at the end of the WEC season, and we both rounded up before Christmas. That was quite a nice winter break for me and a nice Christmas present. »
Stay tuned, the second part of Ben Barker’s interview “#77 Ford Mustang GT3 ambitions in WEC LMGT3” shall be released shortly.
Related Info
📷 Courtesy of IMSA. The Ford Mustang GT3 story
📷 Courtesy of Ford Performance. Ford expands sports car factory driver lineup
📷 © Luc Warnotte: Ford GT at 24 Hours of Le Mans 2019. 24 Hours of Le Mans 2019 Ferrari win - Ford quit.
📷 © Luc Warnotte: Winning Ford GT at 24 Hours of Le Mans 2016. Ford repeat 1966 win at 24 Hours of Le Mans.
