Rising star Hugh Barter dominates Formula 4 Indian Championship, sets sights on F1 glory

Hugh Barter is a name to remember. He has proved he’s got what it takes through his sheer pace and prowess on the track during both rounds of the Formula 4 Indian Championship (F4IC).

The Australian-Japanese driver finished on top of the podium in Race 1 on Sunday after pulling away from the pack with ease. He found racing at the Chennai Formula Racing Circuit exciting and called it one of his ‘favourite tracks’.

“I love the track. It’s really cool. It’s got a mixture of high, low and medium speed. Driving at such a tight section at the back where it’s so fast is really exhilarating,” said the Godspeed Kochi driver while holding on to his first-place trophy.

Barter, who last raced in the 2023 Formula 3 Championship for Campos Racing, said the decision to drive in India was prompted by a couple of reasons. “I thought that it was an opportunity to come to India, experience the culture and what it’s like.

“Any seat time is good seat time, so I’m just putting it in my toolbox and maybe I can take that back home in Europe,” he said.

The 18-year-old started his journey in the karts and made his way through the ranks swiftly. After winning the Richard Mille Young Talent Academy shootout in 2020, he landed in an F4 car the following year. He competed in the Spanish F4 and French F4 Championship, finishing runner-up in French F4 in 2021 and 2022, and in the 2022 F4 Spanish Championship.

His impressive skills have been on display from the get-go when he smashed several records during the first round of the Indian Racing Festival (IRF) at the Madras International Circuit (MIC) in August. During one of the races, Barter had to start from the back but wasted no time as he produced an overtaking masterclass to take the lead.

Hugh Barter wins the second Formula 4 race of the weekend on Sunday.
| Photo Credit:
VEDHAN M/The Hindu

He went from 15th to first in 15 minutes and managed to win by a mind-blowing 18 seconds ahead of the second-placed driver. The F4IC records he broke in his stellar drive included the second-highest win margin, winning from the lowest position and the fastest lap time.

With this in mind, it couldn’t be ruled out that Barter was out of podium contention when he started from the back of the field for Race 2 as he had crashed in Qualifying, which he deemed ‘a rookie mistake’.

As soon as racing began, he was constantly on the tail of his competitors, making up a staggering six places in just one lap. He was up to fifth in quick time, looking stronger than ever to be on the podium again but he had to settle for a Top 5 finish.

So far, it has been a delight to see Barter leave his competitors behind and zoom through the tracks. With three more rounds remaining, he is the strongest to win the Drivers’ Championship and collect some crucial FIA Super License points along the way.

With the aim to see himself in a Formula 1 car one day, Barter said, “I did F3 last year, so the aim is to go back into that, prove my worth and go to F2.” The young driver hopes to follow in the footsteps of his fellow Australian drivers in the F1 circuit and make it to the big league ‘sooner the better’.