Barazi's entry into competitive motorsport grew directly from his passion for historic machinery. His collection includes an Aston Martin DB3S, an Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato, a Ferrari 250LM, a Ferrari 246 Sport Dino, and a Porsche 917 — a roster spanning some of the most celebrated sports-racing cars of the 1950s and 1960s. He campaigned these cars competitively in historic events, twice winning the hotly contested Goodwood Revival Tourist Trophy in his 1962 Jaguar Lightweight Competition E-Type, along with several other international historic victories.
Barazi began his contemporary racing career in British Formula Ford 1600 in 1999, finishing second in the championship the following year in 2000. He then turned to Radical one-make racing from 2001, becoming vice-champion of the British Enduro series in 2004. He simultaneously raced his Porsche 917 in the Classic Endurance Racing series, taking the championship title in that category.
Barazi's ambitions in prototype racing led him to compete in the Le Mans Series aboard a Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, then across five seasons in the LMP2 category. His debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans came in 2005, driving an LMP2 Courage C65. He subsequently purchased that car and co-founded his own team, Barazi-Epsilon, in partnership with Michel Lecomte.
The team entered the Le Mans Series in 2006, immediately claiming the LMP2 category championship. Barazi placed in the top five of the LMP2 standings during three further seasons. In 2007 the team upgraded to a Zytek 07S, and Barazi-Epsilon competed at Le Mans every year through 2009, building a consistent presence in the LMP2 ranks of European endurance racing.
For the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans, Barazi stepped up to the LMP1 category as a guest of Aston Martin Racing, sharing one of their Lola-Aston Martin B09/60 prototypes with Darren Turner and Sam Hancock. The trio mounted a strong showing, running fourth overall and first among petrol-powered cars in the closing hours of the race. Their effort ended with a blown engine approximately 40 minutes before the finish, denying the crew what would have been a notable overall result.
Barazi's career bridges two distinct worlds of motorsport — the prestige of historic racing, where his collection and Goodwood victories earned wide recognition, and the professional endurance racing arena, where he progressed from a gentleman driver to team owner and Le Mans Series champion. His LMP2 title in 2006 and the sustained competitiveness of Barazi-Epsilon through multiple Le Mans campaigns reflect a disciplined long-term commitment to the sport beyond the collector circuit.
Gallery · 2 related images
