In 2023, Hugh Barter, an Australian-Japanese teenager took to the FIA F3 grid, furthering his success from the Spanish and French F4 campaigns he previously competed in.
In an exclusive interview with Pit Debrief, Barter opened up on his journey to F3 and his future hopes in motor racing.
The 19-year-old smiled when asked what he believes to be the most important factor for success in motorsport.
“Money,” Barter laughed. “I mean, yeah, I’d say money.
“It can be cliché, but you know, I think determination is a big one. You don’t really get anywhere without it, especially (in) motorsport.”
Resilience is a key attribute in racing
Hugh Barter’s 2023 campaign wasn’t as successful as he had anticipated, opening up on the pressure on his shoulders. He finished in the points on three occasions in a year where he was up against Christian Mansell and Pepe Marti — the Aussie and Spanish drivers have graduated to F2 since.
“It’s very easy to give up. I think even having a year off, a lot of people would call it a day.”
While his performance may have lacked in his opinion during his debut F3 season, his spirits and belief in himself never truly dwindled due to his support systems.
“A huge part is my dad,” Barter smiled when asked what is behind his success thus far.
After doing some races in the Indian F4 series in 2024 where he claimed three victories at the opening couple of rounds, the teenager is still confident in his ability, making strides to create his next opportunity.
Inside the mind of a racing driver
“I’d still like to get that opportunity (to return to F3) and sort of prove my point a little bit.”
He raced with Campos Racing before parting ways with the team ahead of the final round at Monza. Barter admits self-doubt was an issue for him.
“The F3 season was a bit rough, I’d say due to lack of experience and a bit of lack of self-confidence.
“A lot of the time I felt like I was questioning decisions and not trusting my own gut,” Barter shared.
For his future in racing, the young gun can’t comment right now, but confirms he is looking towards more opportunities in the world of motorsport, hungry to make a name for himself.
