Masson to Replace Barnicoat at Imola

Photo: Julien Delfosse/DPPI

Akkodis ASP Team has confirmed that Esteban Masson will stand in for the injured Ben Barnicoat at the upcoming FIA World Endurance Championship round at Imola.

Barnicoat is still recovering from a mountain bike accident that ruled him out of last month’s Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring and will also see him not be part of Vasser Sullivan’s two-car lineup at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach next week.

At Imola, which is the second round of the WEC season, Masson will stand in for the British driver and share the No. 78 Lexus RC F GT3 with Arnold Robin and Finn Gehrsitz.

Masson formed part of ASP’s full season LMGT3 squad last year and was subsequently upgraded to Gold status for the 2025 season.

The Frenchman was understood to initially be set for stand-in appearances replacing Barnicoat for clashes between WEC and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship rounds at Laguna Seca and Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, but will now make an extra appearance with the team.

The 20-year-old will also compete in the European Le Mans Series with VDS Panis Racing and recently returned from injury himself, as his appearance with KCMG at NLS1 was his first race since a Super Formula Lights testing crash at Suzuka late last year.

Source: Sports Car 365