British racing driver, Luke Browning has been appointed as Williams’ reserve driver for the 2026 F1 season.
Browning joined Williams’ academy in April 2023 and has since progressed up the ladder as he finished fourth in his rookie F2 campaign last season for Hitech GP, amidst increased testing and FP1 roles within Williams.
The 23-year-old will now step up to Williams’ F1 reserve driver role alongside a rookie Japanese Super Formula season, where he will race for Team Kondo Racing.
Speaking to williamsf1.com about his new F1 role, Browning revealed that he is excited to step up to reserve duties as he acknowledged the academy’s role in his development on and off track, and is excited to be working alongside Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz.
“I’m incredibly excited to be stepping up as Reserve Driver with Atlassian Williams F1 Team this year. The Academy has been instrumental in my growth, supporting me through both Formula 3 and Formula 2 while giving me the chance to get up to speed with modern F1 machinery through testing and FP1 sessions. I look forward to working alongside Alex and Carlos to drive the team forward in this new era for Formula 1.”
Browning also spoke of his enthusiasm for taking on a new category as he continued: “I’m also happy to confirm that 2026 will be my rookie season in Super Formula. This will be a completely new challenge, and I’m looking forward to getting stuck in!
“As my next step up towards a full-time Formula 1 seat, this gives me another chance to show how I’ve developed on track and continue to build my skills in a new environment and culture.”
Williams’ Team Principal, James Vowles has welcomed Browning’s promotion into the reserve role as “a proud moment” for the team as he reflected upon the Brit’s progress.
“He has made immense progress since he joined the Academy in 2023 and has supported the team’s journey back to the front of the grid through his involvement in simulator and FP1 work, which has been invaluable as we enter this new era of regulations.
“His Super Formula campaign will allow him to gain more on-track experience and continue his growth as a driver, and we look forward to seeing him back on track as he enters this next stage of his racing career.”
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