Hugh Barter is delighted to be racing at Monaco this weekend in FIA F3 and says “driving at Monaco is something you dream of.”
The Australian driver has shown good speed in his rookie FIA F3 campaign qualifying in fifth place in Bahrain but is yet to score a point for Campos.
Barter said: “I’m thrilled, driving at Monaco is something you dream of from a kid driving on your PlayStation 3 so to do it early in my career and get this opportunity is a surreal feeling.”
The round at Monaco will become the second street circuit of the campaign after Barter’s home event in Australia.
Street circuits often provide a unique challenge compared to permanent circuits, Barter has experience on temporary tracks in Australia and Pau in French F4 last year.
The Campos driver said: “the experience I got from Pau is something I’ll be trying to take advantage of the most here but obviously there’s only so much I can take from that especially since now I’ll be in an F3 car.
There has been long break since the second round of the championship in Australia at the beginning of April.
Barter has tested the Maserati MSG Racing Formula E car in Berlin and a couple of F3 tests to keep sharp ahead of Monaco.
“There’s been a big gap between the races but there’s been the 2 tests and even my time in the Formula E rookie tests and it’s the small things like this that can keep you active and ready for when you come back as well as a lot of sim work and time at the factory.”
Monaco also plays part to the first leg of a European doubler header with Spain’s Circuit De Barcelona-Catalunya.
The Australian is looking forward to racing on two consecutive weekends: “if anything it helps you get into a momentum and find things you need to improve for the next round.”
