Williams confirm appointment of British racer as critical 2026 F1 role explained | F1 | Sport

Luke Browning has been confirmed as Williams’ reserve driver for the 2026 season. The 23-year-old will compete in the Super Formula Championship in Japan this year alongside his F1 duties.

Browning will already be a familiar face to many in the F1 paddock, having made four FP1 appearances over the past two seasons, including three last year. The Cheshire-born Brit put together a strong rookie Formula Two campaign last year, scoring eight podiums and finishing fourth in the standings.

However, with Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon filling up the race seats, Browning has turned his attention to Japanese Super Formula in 2026, while taking on fresh responsibility as the team’s official reserve driver.

In his new role, Browning will be present at the track as a back-up for Sainz and Albon, while also completing data analysis and simulator work to aid Williams’ race weekend preparation.

“I’m incredibly excited to be stepping up as Reserve Driver with Atlassian Williams F1 Team this year,” Browning said after his promotion was confirmed. “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 One. 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 One 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.”

Team principal James Vowles added: “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.”