Luke Browning’s Sakhir Debrief: A special weekend in the desert

15 April 2025

Hitech TGR driver Luke Browning had a weekend to remember in Sakhir, from driving the Williams Formula 1 car on Friday to a second F2 podium on Sunday.

After the weekend, he sat down to debrief it all, reserving special praise for his team, before also giving his verdict on both the Sprint and Feature Race results.

“I think the main thing is before going into F1, I am just so proud of the team I have around me. From what we did coming from the test, then coming into Qualifying, having to adapt coming from the F1 FP straight into Qualifying, having only one push, with the second push not being there, we just nailed it. I'm really proud of this team, and I am confident going to Jeddah and the rest of the season.

“I am super grateful to be given the opportunity to drive the Formula 1 car by Williams. I think I showed with only one lap, I was the quickest of the rookies, and I think I did a good job.

“That's thanks to how they are preparing me, not only in the car in the TPC testing but in the simulator too. So, I am looking forward to hopefully more opportunities in the future, but it's just amazing to be a small block in the foundations that they are building towards the future.

“In the Sprint Race, I think it was a missed opportunity to grab a small amount of points. These points make a difference in the end. I think that was what I was gutted about, I think we could have won the race.

“Both starts, we either had massive wheel spin or massive clutch slip, and it was contradicting from the Formation Lap start to the race start.

Browning achieved his second Formula 2 podium this weekend in Sakhir

“Unfortunately, the way it bedded, and the way it heated up with the heat of Bahrain, it just happens. So, that hindered us, but equally there are some decisions I could have made to stay a little bit more out of trouble in the Sprint Race.

“But irrelevant, I think we went into T1 in P15 and coming into the second to last lap, we were fighting for P4, or maybe even to jump on the podium. The pace this weekend, especially on the Option tyre was phenomenal. I'm proud of the management and the preparation we put into to get to that place. I don't think it was all car related, or all driver related, but the combination of the two, I feel it made a big difference this weekend.

“We understood from the Sprint how quickly the Option tyre was compared to the Prime, but it actually ended up being a bit contradictory. It sent us a bit in the wrong direction, but it turned out to be the best strategy for us, the Prime-Option with our start, but I think the Option-Prime was quicker overall today.

“So, it was a little bit contradictory. We didn't expect the Prime to be as strong as it was, but I think we made the most out of our strategy and we were one of the only ones to make it work.

“Second place in the end is good. I'd like that win, but equally just for keeping a head on and keeping that consistency, it's fantastic. Really happy to be where we are, and just keep on consistently getting those results in. Let’s see, because if this was a predicted weaker weekend for us, to come away with this pace, I am super pleased, so very happy.

“Looking to Jeddah, we've gone well on fast street circuits before, a nod back to Macau. But equally, we've got many second and third-year drivers in, so their experience is going to make a big difference. So, I expect to see them to be up there, and we will see how close we can get to them in Qualifying.”