Williams calls up Browning for Italian GP FP1 run

Williams will hand Luke Browning another opportunity to make his mark in Formula 1 next week, with the young Briton set to take over Alex Albon’s FW48 for FP1 at the Italian Grand Prix.

The session at Monza represents another important step in the development of the 24-year-old, who has steadily moved closer to a full-time F1 opportunity since joining the Williams Driver Academy in 2023.

Browning first appeared in an official F1 session for Williams during FP1 at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He has since added four more practice outings to his tally and was promoted to the team’s reserve driver role for 2026, combining those responsibilities with a Super Formula campaign in Japan.

His latest outing will also give him another chance to build mileage in a Williams car that has proved challenging this season. Browning had originally been scheduled to drive the FW48 in FP1 at both Barcelona and Austria, but an electrical problem prevented him from running in Spain.

He did get his chance at the Red Bull Ring, however, finishing 18th and just three-tenths of a second behind Albon.

Browning focused on making every lap count

The Monza opportunity is part of F1’s mandatory rookie-running requirement, which obliges teams to give drivers who have started no more than two Grands Prix two practice sessions during the season.

For Browning, though, the session is about considerably more than simply fulfilling a regulatory obligation.

With every F1 outing offering a rare opportunity to accelerate his learning curve, the Williams reserve is determined to extract as much as possible from his time behind the wheel.

"I'm thrilled to have another chance to drive an FP1 session with Atlassian Williams F1 Team,” said the 24-year-old Briton.

“It’s a great opportunity to get invaluable laps in the FW48 while building my understanding of the car and helping to bring useful data and feedback back to Grove.

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“Each session teaches you something new, and I want to take every bit of learning I can from this to keep pushing my development and the team forward. For this weekend, it's about supporting Williams to help maximise the result here in Monza."

That final objective will be particularly important for a Williams outfit that has endured a difficult campaign. The team’s development programme has been slower than hoped, while a lack of outright pace has left it fighting near the back of the field.

Browning has nevertheless remained an important part of the operation away from the spotlight, carrying out extensive simulator work as Williams attempts to find a way forward with the FW48.

Monza will now provide him with another chance to translate that behind-the-scenes work into useful trackside feedback. FP1 is scheduled to begin at 12:30 local time on September 4, with Browning once again getting a valuable taste of life at the sharp end of Formula 1.

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