Luke Browning will drive the Williams during FP1 in Abu Dhabi

“It is an honor to drive a Williams F1 car for the first time in Abu Dhabi,” said Luke Browning in a statement from Williams.

There was one free practice session left to give a young driver from the academy a chance to drive for the British team. Abu Dhabi will see the debut of young Luke Browning during a Formula 1 weekend.

Luke Browning had a solid 2024 season in Formula 3, securing two poles in Austria and Great Britain, as well as two wins in the main race in Bahrain and Austria. He fought for the F3 title until the final race in Monza, finishing in a respectable third place overall.

Continuing his rise in the hierarchy of motor racing, Luke Browning moved up to Formula 2 at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where he scored points in his debut with ART Grand Prix. He will continue with ART for the last two rounds of the F2 season.

« Having the opportunity to participate in both the young driver test and a free practice session is incredibly special. A huge thank you to the entire Williams Racing team for their support in my development as a member of the Williams Racing Driver Academy and for trusting me with the FW46. I will work hard to prepare myself and make the most of this opportunity,” he said after the announcement.

Sven Smeets, sporting director, added: Luke had an impressive season in Formula 3 and successfully managed his transition to Formula 2, with strong performances from his first outing in Baku. Throughout the year, he made significant contributions to the team through his development work and demonstrated rapid progress in terms of understanding, maturity, and racing skills. We are looking forward to giving Luke the opportunity to drive the FW46 in Abu Dhabi, a further step in his development as a driver in the Williams Racing Academy.