Lopez to Replace Injured Barnicoat in Lexus for Sebring

Photo: Javier Jimenez/DPPI

Jose Maria Lopez will replace Ben Barnicoat in the No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 for this weekend’s Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring after Barnicoat recently sustained injuries in a mountain bike accident.

Lopez, a Lexus-contracted driver in the FIA World Endurance Championship LMGT3 class, will join Aaron Telitz and Kyle Kirkwood in the GTD Pro class entry, making his IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship debut with the team.

A timeline for Barnicoat’s return is “yet to be determined” according to a statement from the manufacturer.

Barnicoat is scheduled to undertake a dual season effort between his WeatherTech Championship duties with Vasser Sullivan as well as driving for Akkodis ASP in the WEC, in the sister Lexus to Lopez.

His next scheduled event is the 6 Hours of Imola WEC race on April 18-20, as GTD Pro cars are not in action at Long Beach.

The Englishman’s bike accident is understood to have happened within the past week, as Barnicoat appeared in an IMSA-hosted pre-event Zoom conference last Wednesday without any visible injuries.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John