Carbon fibre vs aluminium for racing
There are two answers to this question:


(Money no object)


Go out and buy yourself a carbon frame with all the trimmings. If you want to race, there is no better hardware option.


(Money important)


you say you haven't even begun to race yet. How do you know you'll like it? How do you know you'll be any good? If you go down a carbon route, you're talking about a serious investment which could possibly end up gathering dust in your garage. Frankly, you should consider a steel bike at this stage. When you're losing races because of the weight of the bike, then it's time to upgrade.

Be careful with something like bike racing, it will eat up your every last penny if you're not careful.