Hughes started his racing career in karting in 2010 at the age of sixteen,[1] finishing eleventh in the Junior Class of the Easykart UK Championship.

For 2013, he decided to move in the newly created BRDC Formula 4 Championship, joining Lanan Racing to partner Daniel Headlam.

In a podcast with Dan Ticktum six years later, Hughes revealed that he had competed in the final round with a cracked chassis, which had cost him performance throughout the weekend.

[12] At the final round of the season in Abu Dhabi, Hughes experienced a technical failure in qualifying and was forced to start from the pitlane in the feature race.

He was on course for a top-two finish in the sprint race at the second Red Bull Ring round, but collided with Liam Lawson and suffered race-ending damage.

[23] However, in 2021, Hughes returned to the championship at the fourth round at the Hungaroring as a substitute driver, replacing the injured Kaylen Frederick at Carlin Buzz Racing.

[25] On 22 September 2020 it was announced that Jake Hughes would step up to Formula 2, replacing Giuliano Alesi at the BWT HWA Racelab team for the 10th round at the Sochi Autodrom.

[28] Before the fifth round of the 2021 season, held at Monza, Hughes was confirmed to once again be stepping in at HWA, this time due to an injury sustained by regular driver Jack Aitken at the 24 Hours of Spa.

[29] In the first race, which was plagued by retirements from numerous other drivers, Hughes managed to finish twelfth, having started from the pit lane after stalling on the formation lap.

However, the following three rounds formed a points scoring drought, which was compounded by a crash during qualifying in Monaco and a subsequent stall at the start of the sprint race, which he began from pole.

The Briton returned to the top ten in Baku, scoring a point on Sunday, before another tenth place at his home track of Silverstone.

[36] The following year, he would once again appear in the rookie test at the same circuit, this time driving for Mercedes-Benz EQ Formula E Team alongside Daniel Juncadella.

[41] The season started out strongly in Mexico City, as Hughes progressed to the semi-final stage in qualifying, ending up third on the grid[42] before finishing the race in fifth place, having been overtaken by André Lotterer on the final lap.

[50] A pair of tenth and eighth places followed at Cape Town and São Paulo,[51][52] before having a disastrous at the Berlin ePrix in which he failed to score points.

[55] However, Hughes would only take two more tenth places throughout the rest of the season as the McLaren grew uncompetitive, and did not start the first race in Rome after a qualifying shunt.

The previous record for fastest speed achieved by a vehicle indoors was 165.20kmh/102.65 mph set by American driver Leh Keen in a Porsche Taycan Turbo S at the New Orleans Convention Centre in 2021.

[63] Just a few hours after his departure from McLaren, Maserati MSG Racing announced Hughes on a multi-year deal from the 2024–25 season, partnering 2021–22 champion Stoffel Vandoorne.

He was a co-host of the H.Y.M podcast, alongside BMW factory driver Nick Yelloly and Superbike racer Alex Murley, where the three interviewed notable motorsport personalities, such as Seb Morris, Sheldon van der Linde, Jordan King and Dan Ticktum.