Now that he’s getting paid as a professional, he says he’s trying to pay his parents back “for everything they’ve done”.
Barnard also wants to support young talented drivers who he feels are being left behind – as he feels not everybody that’s made it into top-flight sports “deserves to be there”.
“There’s definitely people that have bought their way in or haven’t earned their way,” he says.
“And there’s definitely been people out there, younger guys or girls that have the talent and the skill to be able to make it, which just gets shut out by financial issues.
“That’s not right. And the way that it’s going in the last few years, it’s only getting worse.”
Barnard says he’s not sure how motorsport’s governing body the FIA or racing teams can best address this issue as he recognises it is a business.
There are various academies and driver development programmes run by professional teams, but they are often very competitive.
An FIA spokesperson told Newsbeat “improving accessibility and affordability in motorsport is a core priority” for the governing body.
They added that some costs connected with competing, such as travel and team operations, were “outside the FIA’s direct remit” but it was “committed to taking decisive action and investing in global initiatives”.
Among the programmes, it said, its affordable cross car, girls on track and global karting plan look to lower “financial barriers” and expand “access to talented drivers around the world”.
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