Williams F1 Team have confirmed that Luke Browning will be their reserve driver for the 2026 ssason. Earlier this week they announced Victor Martins as their test and development driver.
In April 2023, the 23-year-old joined the Williams Academy. It came just three months after James Vowles signed as team principal.
Following championship glory in the British F4 and GB3 series’s in 2020 and 2022, Browning’s name began to be noticed worldwide when he won the Macau GP in 2023.
He took that confidence into his second Formula 3 season, finishing 3rd in points in 2024. Last year he had a very good campaign in Formula 2, ending up P4 in the standings in his first full season. Consistency was the key in both as he only took one win in both of them.
The British driver has also taken part in four FP1 sessions for Williams. His first was at Abu Dhabi in 2024, followed by three more last year.
It was also confirmed Luke Browning will race for Team Kondo Racing in Super Formula in 2026.
Luke Browning, Williams F1 reserve driver:
“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.
“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.”
James Vowles, Team Principal:
“It’s a proud moment to see Luke stepping into the Reserve Driver role from 2026. 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.”
Sven Smeets, Sporting Director:
“We’re pleased to confirm our Williams F1 Team Driver Academy line-up for this year and recognise the depth of talent progressing through the programme, from our youngest driver in Lucas to Luke’s role as Reserve. The Driver Academy remains a central part of how we support and guide young talent and look forward to seeing how each driver performs this year.”
