Browning: ‘Win was on without spin’ but title hopes very much alive after Spa comeback

Another wet race and another comeback fight for Luke Browning has fuelled the Briton’s confidence heading into the final round prior to the summer break.

The Hitech TGR driver wound up 12th in Qualifying, a result well below his and the team’s expectations. But for the second round in a row, the Williams Racing Development Driver put on a clinical display through the spray, fighting back to what turned out to be a podium result in P3.

Speaking after the race on Sunday, Browning said he could take the positives from another fight back through the field, but that a spin following his mandatory pitstop may have even taken away the chance at victory.

“As shown in Silverstone, I think last weekend in the wet conditions - I really feel confident having grown up in the UK, there’s a lot of wet driving there.

“It's coming to show it in Formula 2, which is really nice. It was a mega comeback from a really difficult qualifying, so to be able to come back into solid points and still be there in contention - the championship is the goal.

“It was a good day. Obviously, it's difficult conditions, and we know Spa in the wet is one of the most difficult tracks. So, it was good to be able to make a difference in the driving compared to the people around me.

“I think without the spin, we would have been right there. But unfortunately, these things happen. Obviously, it's difficult for everyone out there to not make mistakes.”

Even with that spin, Browning was comfortably inside the top five by the chequered flag. The Hitech driver admitted that while it would be easier to point to the spin as the critical moment, he says Qualifying was the costliest factor.

"I think we did a brilliant job, and we're looking to recover that qualifying form going into Budapest"

He added that the team would be focusing on finding some more one-lap pace going into next weekend around Budapest.

“If it had gone green to the end, I think I could have won it. But unfortunately, when we qualify 12th, it's the nature of a comeback drive. It takes that win off the cards for me, so you really need some extra luck and circumstance and everything to go right for that to come together.

“But even so, I think we did a brilliant job, and we're looking to recover that qualifying form going into Budapest, and you never know, maybe a bit of rain might help us towards the end of the year too.”

With his promotion to P3 following Alexander Dunne’s post-race time penalty and Arvid Lindblad’s disqualification, both for technical infringements, Browning remains firmly in the race for the 2025 Drivers’ Championship.

Currently fifth in the Standings on 113 points, the Briton is well within reach of Leonardo Fornaroli in the top spot, and is just one point back from Dunne in fourth.

Heading to the Hungaroring, the Championship fight is finely poised, and the Williams junior driver is eager to put together a clean weekend before heading into the summer break.

READ MORE: Arvid Lindblad disqualified following Spa Francorchamps Feature Race

“I think it's just small things make a huge difference in this championship and the last three rounds, it's just not quite come together when we needed it to on the one lap for varying reasons.

“It’s not always the team, not always me, and often a combination of circumstances that are outside of both our control. So, we're looking to minimise them factors going forwards and try and execute a bit better.

“We're still within 12 points of championship lead, so it's very, very tight in the top five so we're well in for it and I'm ready to fight.”