Hawksworth Replaces Barnicoat at Akkodis ASP for Le Mans

Jack Hawksworth will replace Ben Barnicoat in the lineup for the No. 78 Akkodis ASP Lexus RC F GT3 for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, it has been announced.

With Barnicoat still out of action due to injuries sustained in a mountain bike accident, Hawksworth has been drafted in to partner FIA World Endurance Championship regulars Finn Gehrsitz and Arnold Robin for the series’ blue riband race on June 14-15.

It marks the second year in a row that the Yorkshire driver has been called into action at Le Mans, as he was drafted in at short notice last year to stand in for Jose Maria Lopez, as Lopez in turn replaced an injured Mike Conway at Toyota’s Hypercar squad.

Hawksworth becomes the third different replacement driver for Barnicoat in three WEC rounds, following on from Esteban Masson at Imola and Yuichi Nakayama at Spa.

The earliest WEC race Barnicoat could return for is September’s Circuit of The Americas round, as July’s 6 Hours of Sao Paulo clashes with the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship event at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

Hawksworth is also stepping in for Barnicoat in next weekend’s Detroit IMSA race aboard Vasser Sullivan Racing’s GTD Pro No. 14 Lexus.