Williams has introduced Luke Browning because the crew’s reserve driver for the 2026 Formulation 1 season.
The Grove-based squad didn’t beforehand have a reserve driver, although it theoretically might name upon Mercedes’ third driver, Williams’ personal former racer Valtteri Bottas, all through 2025.
A member of the Williams Driver Academy since 2023, Browning took half in three Free Observe 1 classes with the crew in 2025. He completed third in Formulation 3 and fourth in Formulation 2 within the final two years, that means he’s eligible for a superlicence.
Quickly to be 24, the Briton will tackle this position alongside his maiden marketing campaign in Tremendous Formulation, that means he can be unavailable for the Montreal, Spa-Francorchamps, Singapore and Las Vegas F1 grands prix.
Williams has not acknowledged who would be the reserve driver then, however take a look at and growth driver Victor Martins is eligible for a superlicence after successful the Formulation Renault Eurocup and Formulation 3 titles in 2020 and 2022.
Alongside Oliver Turvey and Harrison Scott, Martins can be concerned within the outfit’s growth programmes and also will be tasked with refining its simulator.
Williams Driver Academy
Photograph by: Williams
In the meantime, the crew has additionally introduced the brand new line-up for the Williams Driver Academy, which Browning stays a member of.
He’s joined in 2026 by 2022 French F4 champion Alessandro Giusti, who completed sixth in F3 final 12 months; Jade Jacquet, Williams’ consultant in F1 Academy after taking twenty fourth in French F4 final season; 2025 Italian F4 champion Kean Nakamura-Berta, who was an Alpine junior and can graduate to Formulation Regional; and Oleksandr Bondarev, a race winner in Italian F4.
Additionally that includes within the academy are karting drivers Dean Hoogendoorn, Will Inexperienced and Lucas Palacio. Hoogendoorn was the FIA European Junior champion and WSK Tremendous Grasp Collection OKJ champion final 12 months, whereas Palacio took the WSK Tremendous Grasp Collection OKNJ title at simply 11 years previous.
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