Kelvin van der Linde has had a very impressive motorsport career and has driven in endurance racing and single-seaters.
The South African has won twice at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring for Audi and finished third at the Bathurst 12 Hours this year.
Van der Linde also made his debut in the World Endurance Championship this season driving for the Akkodis ASP Lexus team in the LMGT3 class as he continues to compete in GT cars.
He has been very successful in that type of car, twice winning the ADAC GT Masters title and racing in the DTM.
But Van der Linde had a slightly more difficult this season in WEC competing in the Lexus RC F GT3, which is significantly older than many of the other cars on the grid.
Now, according to sportscar365, the South African could be on the verge of losing his seat ahead of the 2025 season.
Ben Barnicoat could replace Kelvin van der Linde at Lexus
Van der Linde looks likely to leave Lexus following the climax of the 2024 season with Ben Barnicoat expected to take his seat in the Akkodis ASP squad.
Barnicoat has already driven Akkodis ASP’s Lexus in the 2024 WEC Bahrain Rookie Test. Van der Linde, on the other hand, has been linked with a move to Lamborghini despite the Italian manufacturer’s uncertain future in the Hypercar class.
Barnicoat has been similarly successful to Van der Linde after winning the IMSA championship in the GTD Pro class last season.
The British driver has been very impressive in North America, along with winning the LMP2 Pro-Am class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans this season.
Barnicoat has been driving the Lexus for the past three seasons, so he is well-versed in how to make the car go quickly.
He also raced on some of the circuits on the WEC calendar, such as the Bahrain International Circuit and Spa-Francorchamps earlier in his career.
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Barnicoat could be set for a dual campaign in 2025 as he balances IMSA and the World Endurance Championship, albeit prioritising IMSA.
The two calendars clash at points next season, which means the British driver will miss Spa and Sao Paulo. This could open the door for last year’s Eurocup-3 champion Esteban Masson to drive the Lexus.
Lexus struggled a lot in WEC this season which Ben Barnicoat may be able to turn around
Lexus endured a difficult season in the World Endurance Championship this season as the No. 87 car failed to score a point.
The Japanese manufacturer ran with one of the older cars in the field, meaning there is much less development to do.
Jose Maria Lopez hinted at his car’s Bronze driver not being up to the level required in WEC, which made the season very difficult for the sister Lexus car.
Barnicoat’s experience may help Lexus progress in the LMGT3 class but it will still be challenging.