Luke Browning | |
---|---|
![]() Browning in 2022 | |
Nationality | ![]() |
Born | (2002-01-31)31 January 2002 (age 23) Kingsley, Cheshire, United Kingdom |
FIA Formula 2 Championship career | |
Debut season | 2024 |
Current team | Hitech TGR |
Car number | 7 |
Former teams | ART Grand Prix |
Starts | 7 (7 entries) |
Wins | 0 |
Podiums | 1 |
Poles | 0 |
Fastest laps | 0 |
Best finish | 26th in2024 |
Previous series | |
2023–2024 2023 2022 2021–2022 2021 2021 2021 2019–2020 2017–2018 2016–2017 | FIA Formula 3 Championship FR Middle East Championship Formula 4 UAE Championship GB3 Championship Drexler Automotive Formula 4 Cup ADAC Formula 4 Italian F4 Championship F4 British Championship Ginetta Junior Championship Junior Saloon Car Championship |
Championship titles | |
2023 2022 2020 | FIA Formula 3 World Cup GB3 Championship F4 British Championship |
Awards | |
2022 | Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Award |
Luke Browning (born 31 January 2002) is a Britishracing driver, who competes in theFIA Formula 2 Championship forHitechTGR.
A member of theWilliams Driver Academy,[1] he previously competed in the same championshipthe year prior, driving forART Grand Prix during the final three rounds. He won the2022 GB3 Championship and the2020 F4 British Championship with Hitech andFortec Motorsports respectively. Browning also finished third in the2024 FIA Formula 3 Championship withHitech Pulse-Eight.
He was awarded theAston Martin Autosport BRDC Award for 2022.[2] He is the winner of the2023 Macau Grand Prix.
In 2016, Browning made his debut in car racing, competing in the Junior Saloon Car Championship in theUK. He won a race and was awarded the title "Henry Surtees Teen Racer of the Year 2016", having finished ninth in his first year in motorsport competition.[3]
For 2017, the Brit made a switch to theGinetta Junior Championship with Richardson Racing. His season highlight would end up being a pole position he scored in the secondSilverstone race, and he placed eleventh in the standings.[4]
In thefollowing season, Browning stayed on with Richardson Racing. His season started out strongly, with three victories after four races. However, over the course of the season he lost out to the Elite Motorsport duo ofLouis Foster and eventual champion Adam Smalley. He scored enough points to win the championship taking Oulton park into account, only to lose his race 1 win due to a mechanical infringement. He went on to win race 2 in dramatic style by 11 seconds. Ultimately, he finished in third position after a neck and neck season with a total of eight victories and ten further podium finishes.[5]
Browning progressed to theF4 British Championship in 2019, once again remaining with Richardson Racing.[6] He won his first ever single-seater race at the opening race of the season, a very wetBrands Hatch.[7] Having started the race from a lowly tenth place after engine issues in qualifying he made a similar drive through the field in the mixed condition race 2, only to collide withZane Maloney on the last corner on the final lap. He took the chequered flag first, but was later docked to third after a ten-second time penalty.[8][9] The Brit added to that tally with a victory at theThruxton Circuit.[10] That win would prove to be the last of the year, despite crossing the line first inSnetterton.[11][12] However,a post-race penalty due to a jump start would drop him to third in the end.[13] He concluded the season with a triple podium inBrands Hatch.[14] He ended up sixth in the championship, with two wins, and nine podiums.[15]
In 2020, Browning moved toFortec Motorsport for his title pushseason of British F4, partneringRafael Villagómez andRoberto Faria for parts of the season.[16] The season was memorable for the tight battle for the title between Browning andCarlin'sZak O'Sullivan.[17] The pair exchanged victories at almost every weekend, with the round atThruxton being the only exception. At the opening two rounds, he scored four second places, but it was atOulton Park where he would complete a cleans sweep.[18] He continued his form atKnockhill, taking two more wins and a podium.[19] However, he would not win again until the penultimate round inSnetterton, by which O'Sullivan had closed down the points gap. Despite a win in the first race, O'Sullivan won the next two races which meant both came into the title deciding round even on points, inBrands Hatch.[20] He took a wet double pole position, boosting his title chances and also winning the first race.[21][22] Even with O'Sullivan winning the final race, the race was halted midway and half-points were awarded, and Browning was crowned champion by a lead of only four points.[23][24] He took seven wins, six poles and sixteen podiums.[25]
For 2021, Browning moved to mainlandEurope to compete in theADAC Formula 4 withUS Racing.[26] He started strong at theRed Bull Ring, taking a win during the third race.[27] He scored a double podium in round 3 and 4, at bothHockenheimring andSachsenring.[28][29] At the secondHockenheimring round, he again claimed his second win in the final race, having held offJoshua Dufek in the dying last laps.[30] He ended the season inNürburgring with another double podium, putting him third overall in the championship, behindTim Tramnitz and championOliver Bearman.[31]
He also took part in the first round of theItalian F4 Championship, scoring a second place inCircuit Paul Ricard.[32] This result placed him 15th overall in the standings.[33]
On 9 September 2021 Browning announced that he would be making his debut in theGB3 Championship atOulton Park.[34] Driving for his title-winning outfit from the previous year, he experienced an eventful one off weekend in the 2021 season. He finished his first race in the category in second place, only behind the dominantZak O'Sullivan, but was disqualified due to an illegal skid block.[35] He overtook the latter around the outside of turn one and went on to win the second race.[36] He was caught up in an unavoidable incident in the full reverse grid race 3 and retired shortly after.[37] He was 25th in the standings.[38]
Browning would team up withHitech Grand Prix to participate in the full2022 season.[39] He was sensational in the first round atOulton Park, taking a double pole.[40] He proceeded to then win twice, even winning the first race by a ten-second margin.[41][42] He continued his form with a double podium in the firstSilverstone round, and a second place inDonington Park.[43] He would win again the next round atSnetterton, winning Race 2 from pole whilst beating his title rivalJoel Granfors in a tight battle saw Browning retake the standings lead again.[44][45] InSpa-Francorchamps, he again took a double win which solidified his lead further.[46] However, the pair of victories would be his last of his campaign, and he went podium-less for the first time during the second Silverstone round due to being disqualified in qualifying.[47] This meant he lost the championship lead to Granfors.[48] A double podium inBrands Hatch brought the championship lead back to Browning, as 15.5 points split the pair heading into the finale at Donington.[49][50] Having scored yet another double podium, he clinched the title with a race to spare.[51] Having taken five wins and a further eight podiums, the Briton stated that "he couldn't be happier" as he wrapped up his second single-seater title.[52]
During the 2023 pre-season, Browning joinedHitech Grand Prix for the second and third rounds of the2023 Formula Regional Middle East Championship.[53] He scored points in his first two races and placed 26th in the standings with eight points.[54]
Browning partook in the 2023 Formula 3 pre-season testing withHitech Pulse-Eight.[55] On 1 March 2023, just two days before the season started, Hitech announced the signing of Browning, ultimately completing its F3 roster for the upcoming season.[56] He qualified 17th on debut inBahrain, but the sprint race ended in disappointment, getting tagged byHugh Barter. However, he stunned with an epic recovery drive during the feature race, passing car after car for fifth place.[57] He cracked into the top 12 inMelbourne qualifying, putting him fourth for the sprint.[58] Despite scooting to second early on, it included contactOliver Goethe which took him out of the race. He would briefly go airborne in a battle with teammateSebastián Montoya. The Briton suffered damage to his car, eventually finishing 11th before a penalty for contact with Goethe dropped him to 17th.[59] He had another penalty-stricken race in the feature, this time for colliding withFranco Colapinto which dropped him from sixth to eighth.[60][61]
Browning qualified a season-best fourth inMonaco. He had his most successful weekend, finishing eighth in the sprint and narrowly missing the podium toPaul Aron in the feature race.[62] InBarcelona, he had a tussle for the lead with his former British F4 rival andWilliams Driver Academy memberZak O'Sullivan during the sprint race, but ultimately settled for second place as he took his first F3 podium.[63] However, his feature race quickly ended on the first lap after contact withLeonardo Fornaroli.[64] He had a poor second half of the season, due to unfortunate collisions especially inAustria andSilverstone.[65][66] InSpa-Francorchamps, he returned to the points for the final time during the sprint race, finishing eighth.[67] A good drive followed in theMonza sprint race. After being disqualified from qualifying,[68] he rose from 27th to fifth place, but it went unrewarded as he was disqualified again for an illegal car floor.[69] He finished 15th in the standings, with 41 points.[70]
He remained with Hitech for the post-season testing sessions,[71] setting the fastest lap on the first day inBarcelona.[72][73] He then took part in theMacau Grand Prix with Hitech.[74] He took pole for the qualification race, despite having no prior experience to the circuit.[75][76] He then proceeded to win the qualification race, fending off teammate Minì.[77] From there in the main race, despite a challenge fromDennis Hauger, he persevered to take the Macau Grand Prix victory despite multiple restarts.[78] Following the race, he revealed he watched "every start of Macau" in order to defend his lead.[79]
Browning continued his relationship withHitech Pulse-Eight for the2024 Formula 3 season.[80] He qualified second during theBahrain season opener.[81] He was hit with a ten-second penalty during the sprint race for gaining an advantage whilst running off-track, which demoted him from seventh to 15th.[82] In the feature race, He assumed the race lead early on after polesitterDino Beganovic stalled. He suffered an engine scare mid-race as he came under pressure, but pressed on for his first Formula 3 victory.[83][84] He secured fifth in qualifying atMelbourne, but was forced to pit early in the sprint race due to a steering wheel issue.[85][86] Making up a place ofNikita Bedrin early on and a battle withGabriele Minì, he would finish the feature race in fourth, retaining his championship lead.[87]
He qualified ninth inImola, but was hit with disappointment in the sprint as he attempted an unsuccessful overtake onKacper Sztuka during the penultimate lap, which broke his front wing and beached him in the gravel.[88] He recovered to fourth place in the feature race, but lost the standings lead.[89] InMonaco, he secured third inMonaco qualifying.[90] He made up two places on the opening lap to finish eighth in the sprint race, and maintained his position in the feature to grab third.[91][92] He secured a fifth place in the feature race atBarcelona, asLeonardo Fornaroli andOliver Goethe both passed him on the final lap for the podium position.[93] He battled to his first pole inAustria.[94][95] Despite a grid penalty for the sprint race,[96] he advanced to the points early on, but was forced to take avoiding action in an incident and dropped to 11th.[97] Regardless, he led every lap to claim a lights-to-flag victory in the feature race.[98]
A second consecutive pole came in his homeSilverstone event.[99][100] A collision withTim Tramnitz curtailed his sprint early, and the wrong choice of tyres during a damp track led to Browning finishing eighth.[101] His toughest weekend came inHungary, crashing in qualifying and was confined down to 15th.[102] His only points came with eighth in the sprint, and failed to replicate a comeback in the feature.[103][104] He qualified seventh inSpa-Francorchamps. He was embroiled in multiple during the sprint race that placed him sixth, but was demoted to 12th due to a track limits penalty.[105] He again finished sixth in the feature, meaning he third in the standings with 123 points heading into the season finale.[106][107]
Browning qualified a disappointing 13th inMonza, and in the sprint he would charge from 13th to sixth.[108] Needing to outscore standings leader Fornaroli by seven points to win the title, his chances ended abruptly with a spin at Ascari in the ppening laps. He charged through to 13th place but was later penalised for a collision withJoseph Loake, dropping him to 20th.[109] He finished third in the championship with 128 points, taking three podiums with two being wins, and 2 pole positions.
AfterZak O'Sullivan was forced to vacate his seat atART Grand Prix, Browning was confirmed by the French team to make hisFormula 2 debut for the final three rounds of the2024 season.[110] Browning qualified 11th on debut inBaku, and scored his first points with seventh place in a solid drive during the feature race.[111] He failed to score points from 14th inQatar, after an unfortunate safety car timing in the feature race meant his alternate strategy did not pay off.[112] InYas Marina, Browning qualified 17th, but a chaotic feature meant he shot up the order to sixth, scoring points.[113] In the feature race, he finished in 15th place.[114] Across his three-round stint, Browning scored seven points and finished 26th in the standings.[115]
Browning is set to continue his relationship withHitechTGR for the full2025 Formula 2 season, alongsideDino Beganovic.[116]
In 2023, Browning took part in the rookie drivers' test inBerlin with theNEOM McLaren Formula E Team.[117][118]
At the end of April 2023, Browning was announced as a member of theWilliams Driver Academy.[119] During late October, Browning drove theAston Martin AMR21 at theSilverstone Circuit as part of his reward for claiming the Autosport BRDC Award the previous year.[120]
Browning took part in his firstfree practice session (FP1) with Williams at the2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where he finished his debut session in 20th.[121][122] He also drove theWilliams FW46 again during the post-season young drivers' test, completing 105 laps and placing 11th in the overall classification.[123]
* Season still in progress.
(key) (Races inbold indicate pole position) (Races initalics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | DC | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2017 | Richardson Racing | BHI 1 11 | BHI 2 16 | DON 1 10 | DON 2 Ret | DON 3 11 | THR1 1 16 | THR1 2 11 | OUL 1 8 | OUL 2 12 | CRO 1 14 | CRO 2 11 | CRO 3 11 | SNE 1 9 | SNE 2 12 | SNE 3 7 | KNO 1 11 | KNO 2 13 | ROC 1 7 | ROC 2 8 | ROC 3 6 | SIL 1 Ret | SIL 2 Ret | SIL 3 15 | BHGP 1 9 | BHGP 2 Ret | BHGP 3 Ret | 11th | 222 |
2018 | Richardson Racing | BHI 1 5 | BHI 2 1 | DON 1 1 | DON 2 1 | DON 3 2 | THR1 1 3 | THR1 2 Ret | OUL 1 DSQ | OUL 2 1 | CRO 1 19 | CRO 2 2 | CRO 3 2 | SNE 1 1 | SNE 2 1 | SNE 3 2 | ROC 1 Ret | ROC 2 2 | ROC 3 1 | KNO 1 4 | KNO 2 2 | SIL 1 3 | SIL 2 3 | SIL 3 5 | BHGP 1 1 | BHGP 2 4 | BHGP 3 2 | 3rd | 654 |
(key) (Races inbold indicate pole position) (Races initalics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | DC | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2019 | Richardson Racing | BHI 1 1 | BHI 2 3 | BHI 3 7 | DON 1 DNS | DON 2 9 | DON 3 3 | THR1 1 1 | THR1 2 12 | THR1 3 9 | CRO 1 12 | CRO 2 10 | CRO 3 7 | OUL 1 Ret | OUL 2 5 | OUL 3 4 | SNE 1 10 | SNE 2 3 | SNE 3 13 | THR2 1 4 | THR2 2 4 | THR2 3 9 | KNO 1 7 | KNO 2 4 | KNO 3 4 | SIL 1 8 | SIL 2 6 | SIL 3 3 | BHGP 1 2 | BHGP 2 3 | BHGP 3 2 | 6th | 268.5 |
2020 | Fortec Motorsport | DON 1 2 | DON 2 12 | DON 3 2 | BHGP 1 2 | BHGP 2 4 | BHGP 3 2 | OUL 1 1 | OUL 2 1 | OUL 3 1 | KNO 1 1 | KNO 2 2 | KNO 3 1 | THR 1 3 | THR 2 6 | THR 3 5 | SIL 1 4 | SIL 2 5 | SIL 3 4 | CRO 1 6 | CRO 2 3 | SNE 1 1 | SNE 2 4 | SNE 3 2 | BHI 1 1 | BHI 2 2 | BHI 3 10 | 1st | 412.5 |
(key) (Races inbold indicate pole position) (Races initalics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | DC | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | US Racing | LEC 1 10 | LEC 2 2 | LEC 3 6 | MIS 1 | MIS 2 | MIS 3 | VLL 1 | VLL 2 | VLL 3 | IMO 1 | IMO 2 | IMO 3 | RBR 1 | RBR 2 | RBR 3 | MUG 1 | MUG 2 | MUG 3 | MNZ 1 | MNZ 2 | MNZ 3 | 15th | 27 |
(key) (Races inbold indicate pole position) (Races initalics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Pos | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | US Racing | RBR 1 7 | RBR 2 5 | RBR 3 1 | ZAN 1 4 | ZAN 2 (9) | ZAN 3 6 | HOC1 1 3 | HOC1 2 3 | HOC1 3 6 | SAC 1 3 | SAC 2 2 | SAC 3 7 | HOC2 1 5 | HOC2 2 5 | HOC2 3 1 | NÜR 1 Ret | NÜR 2 2 | NÜR 3 3 | 3rd | 220 |
(key) (Races inbold indicate pole position) (Races initalics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | DC | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | Fortec Motorsports | BRH 1 | BRH 2 | BRH 3 | SIL1 1 | SIL1 2 | SIL1 3 | DON1 1 | DON1 2 | DON1 3 | SPA 1 | SPA 2 | SPA 3 | SNE 1 | SNE 2 | SNE 3 | SIL2 1 | SIL2 2 | SIL2 3 | OUL 1 DSQ | OUL 2 1 | OUL 3 Ret | DON2 1 | DON2 2 | DON2 3 | 25th | 35 |
2022 | Hitech Grand Prix | OUL 1 1 | OUL 2 1 | OUL 3 Ret | SIL1 1 2 | SIL1 2 3 | SIL1 3 171 | DON1 1 Ret | DON1 2 2 | DON1 3 106 | SNE 1 2 | SNE 2 1 | SNE 3 155 | SPA 1 1 | SPA 2 1 | SPA 3 184 | SIL2 1 10 | SIL2 2 11 | SIL2 3 515 | BRH 1 2 | BRH 2 2 | BRH 3 97 | DON2 1 2 | DON2 2 2 | DON2 3 79 | 1st | 507 |
(key) (Races inbold indicate pole position) (Races initalics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | DC | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | Hitech Grand Prix | YAS1 1 | YAS1 2 | YAS1 3 | YAS1 4 | DUB1 1 | DUB1 2 | DUB1 3 | DUB1 4 | DUB2 1 12 | DUB2 2 5 | DUB2 3 4 | DUB2 4 5 | DUB3 1 9 | DUB3 2 4 | DUB3 3 2 | DUB3 4 Ret | YAS2 1 | YAS2 2 | YAS2 3 | YAS2 4 | 11th | 64 |
(key) (Races inbold indicate pole position) (Races initalics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | DC | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2023 | Hitech Grand Prix | DUB1 1 | DUB1 2 | DUB1 3 | KUW1 1 7 | KUW1 2 9 | KUW1 3 20 | KUW2 1 15 | KUW2 2 14 | KUW2 3 Ret | DUB2 1 | DUB2 2 | DUB2 3 | ABU 1 | ABU 2 | ABU 3 | 26th | 8 |
(key) (Races inbold indicate pole position) (Races initalics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | DC | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2023 | Hitech Pulse-Eight | BHR SPR Ret | BHR FEA 5 | MEL SPR 17 | MEL FEA 8 | MON SPR 8 | MON FEA 4 | CAT SPR 2 | CAT FEA Ret | RBR SPR 11 | RBR FEA 22 | SIL SPR 14 | SIL FEA Ret | HUN SPR 16 | HUN FEA 12 | SPA SPR 8 | SPA FEA 23 | MNZ SPR DSQ | MNZ FEA 18 | 15th | 41 | ||
2024 | Hitech Pulse-Eight | BHR SPR 15 | BHR FEA 1 | MEL SPR 28 | MEL FEA 4 | IMO SPR 26† | IMO FEA 4 | MON SPR 8 | MON FEA 3 | CAT SPR 12 | CAT FEA 5 | RBR SPR 11 | RBR FEA 1 | SIL SPR 24 | SIL FEA 8 | HUN SPR 8 | HUN FEA 12 | SPA SPR 12 | SPA FEA 6 | MNZ SPR 6 | MNZ FEA 20 | 3rd | 128 |
(key) (Races inbold indicate pole position) (Races initalics indicate fastest lap)
* Season still in progress.
Year | Team | Car | Qualifying | Quali Race | Main race |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2023 | ![]() | Dallara F3 2019 | 1st | 1st | 1st |
(key) (Races inbold indicate pole position) (Races initalics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | WDC | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2024 | Williams Racing | WilliamsFW46 | Mercedes-AMG F1 M15 E Performance 1.6V6 t | BHR | SAU | AUS | JPN | CHN | MIA | EMI | MON | CAN | ESP | AUT | GBR | HUN | BEL | NED | ITA | AZE | SIN | USA | MXC | SAP | LVG | QAT | ABU TD | – | – |
Sporting positions | ||
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Preceded by | F4 British Championship Champion 2020 | Succeeded by |
Preceded by | GB3 Championship Champion 2022 | Succeeded by |
Preceded by | Macau Grand Prix Winner 2023 | Succeeded by |