Hugh Barter wins Spanish F4 thriller at Portimão

Hugh Barter has won the Spanish F4 season opener in Portugal after a series of thrilling battles for the lead.

Hugh Barter celebrates on the podium at Portimão. (Spanish Formula 4)

Barter was part of a three-way pack that pulled away from the field and went wheel-to-wheel for the lead, with the Australian in the lead at the chequered flag.

Bulgarian Nikola Tsolov started on pole but stalled off the line, with Barter charging into the lead through the first corner.

Barter led Polish Tymoteusz Kucharczyk and Italian Valerio Rinicella away from the pack in the early stages, as a group of bright orange MP Motorsport cars duked it out for fourth position behind them.

Kucharcyzk diligently chased down Barter while Rinicella kept a watching brief at a safe distance behind, which paid dividends when the lead pair made contact.

The Aussie fell to third as Thai driver Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak caught up to the lead gaggle.

Barter and Inthraphuvasak powered past Rinicella, who ran wide and was swallowed up by the chasing pack before pitting.

Kucharczyk led the trio away from the chasing field once again, but ran wide with just one minute to go, falling to the final podium position.

Inthraphuvasak mounted one final challenge on Barter, but the Campos Racing driver held fast to take a well-earned victory at Portimão ahead of the thirty-car field.

Fellow Aussie Noah Lisle, joining the championship for a single round, had a fruitless outing after suffering damage to his rear right corner and retiring on the opening lap.

The Spanish Formula 4 championship returns this evening at 7.57pm (AEST) for race two before race three at 12.17am Monday morning.