Hitech TGR’s Luke Browning delivered an impressive comeback by charging from P12 to finish P3 in the Feature Race at the F2 British GP. After a disappointing Qualifying and a tough run of recent rounds, Browning set out to bounce back—and he did just that, salvaging a strong result to secure a podium on home-soil. Speaking to Pit Debrief and other media outlets in the Post-Feature Race Press Conference, the Briton reflected on his redemption drive.
Maximised results at F2 British GP
Browning described his home race podium as “bittersweet”, frustrated by the damage that ruined his second qualifying run despite strong pace. He emphasised the team’s speed across both wet and dry conditions throughout the weekend. Encouraged by their speed, the Briton had evidently hoped for more.
“Yeah, bittersweet, it’s the way to put it. You know you go it’s so fast in qualifying, picked up some damage coming into the second run, and it was major so just I couldn’t fight for it in the second run in qualifying. But we knew we had pace coming into the race weekend, we were very fast yesterday in the dry and we were very fast today in the wet.”
While he acknowledged that weekends like this feel like missed chances to win, Browning is pleased to have maximised their points haul walking away from the weekend. The Williams Junior expressed pride in the performance he showcased today, adding that its days like these that builds the mindset needed to reach Formula 1—his ultimate goal.
“Equally we look at these weekends and go these are the weekends that maybe we could win, but equally we got as many points as we could from it. And yeah, I’m very happy with the overtakes and the pace we showed today and overall you need you need this perception to get to Formula One and that’s the goal.”
“Very happy” with P3 today
Browning candidly admitted that he and Hitech had planned to pit earlier. The Briton explained that the team remained conflicted if the risk to pit early outweighed the risk. In hindsight, he admitted they might have gained more by pitting a few laps earlier for a fresh set of wets and going for the undercut.
“No honestly we were planning on doing it earlier. Yet we were unsure about the risk of it [the track] drying and then if people boxed to slicks and then did us at the end we were trying to cover for all aspects. You know when you go from twelfth to third you want to try and cover the position. I think equally maybe we could have boxed five [to] four laps earlier than we did for a new set of wets and maybe undercut massively.”
However, Browning was content with finishing third. The Briton praised the team’s strong work and said he’s excited for the second half of the European season. Noting that his pace and confidence is building, Browning said he is ready to fight in the remaining six rounds of the season.
“But yeah, it wasn’t to be today I think I’m very happy with third though, I think the team did a fantastic job. And yeah, this second half the European season I’m really looking forward to it and pace is coming to us the direction is good and the confidence is growing ever more and yeah we’re ready to fight for this now.”
Rewarded with podium on home-soil
Having missed out on a home podium in Formula 3 last year, Browning joked about how it had left him scarred. He believes it may have balanced out this time that has rewarded him with a P3 finish that he might not have achieved on a regular strategy. Overall, Browning was extremely pleased with the result.
“Yeah obviously it eluded me last year. Formula 3, it feels like it scarred me. It was one of those, where I don’t need to go into it but basically the weather the weather took it away from me. But equally, I’ve been rewarded with the weather in the past so and I don’t think I’d have got to third today on a normal strategy so maybe it rewarded me today. So yes, very happy.”
Vast experience at Silverstone came handy
When asked how he unlocked such strong pace, Browning credited his extensive experience around Silverstone. Confident in both the car and his own ability, the Briton knew he had everything he needed to deliver a performance like today’s.
“Honestly I just think it’s having done a thousand laps here. I’ve raced every championship here. I know this place like the back of my hand I said coming into the weekend.”
“You know like Alex [Dunne] said I’m not sure it was his first time driving in the wet here and or at least in some powerful machinery, I knew what lines to be on from the outset and yeah I made the made the use of my experience there. And yeah, I was very happy to have Hitech’s car underneath me to be able for me to extract it so probably that.”
