Williams is relying on 23-year-old Brit Luke Browning as test and reserve driver in 2026, as the traditional Formula 1 racing team officially announced.
Browning, a member of the Williams junior academy and fourth in the Formula 2 drivers’ standings in the 2025 season, will also compete for the Kondo Racing team in the Japanese Super Formula racing series in the future, it said.
“It is a proud moment to see Luke in the role of reserve driver from 2026,” said Williams team boss James Vowles. “He has made tremendous progress since joining the academy in 2023 and has helped the team return to the front of the grid through his involvement in the simulator and FP1. This has been invaluable given the new rules era.”
At Williams, the academy remains “a central part of our support and promotion of young talent, and we are excited to see how the individual drivers perform this year,” added sports director Sven Smeets.
Browning said he was “incredibly proud” of his promotion to Formula 1 reserve at Williams. “The academy has contributed significantly to my development, supported me in both Formula 3 and Formula 2 and gave me the opportunity to familiarize myself with modern F1 vehicles through test drives and FP1 sessions,” said the youngster.
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“Full-time Formula 1 cockpit” as the goal
He is looking forward to “moving Williams forward in this new era of Formula 1” together with regular drivers Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz, said Browning.
The Super Formula will be “a completely new challenge and I’m looking forward to taking on it,” said the racing driver. “As the next step towards a full-time Formula 1 cockpit, this gives me another chance to show how I have developed on the racetrack and to further develop my skills in a new environment and culture.”
