Young racing driver chasing Formula 2 title

"The bug for me is more competition - I'd race my dad down to the shops if that was an option."

On 7 September, racing driver Luke Browning, 23, based in Wantage, Oxfordshire, took his first Formula 2 victory at Monza, Italy.

He is now in a touching distance of winning the championship, only 21 points behind the leader, Leonardo Fornaroli, with three rounds remaining before the racing weekend in Baku, Azerbaijan.

With eyes "firmly looking forward", Browning said winning the first of two races was "very cool, especially to be able to bring the trophy home".

The young driver proved himself through saloon car racing and simulator driving before his break into British F4 in 2019

He grew up in Kingsley in Cheshire and describes his getting into the sport as "very different" compared to the usual routes.

"It's funded a lot by money and we're a normal family, so it's difficult to get the funding or to get the investment to be able to do it properly."

Instead, he proved himself through saloon car racing and simulator driving until he got his break into British F4 in 2019.

He repaired an old Citroen Saxo bought at a junk yard for his first race car.

Browning's progress skyrocketed as he won GB3 in 2022, then following in the footsteps of Michael Schumacher to win the Macau GP in 2023.

He finished the 2024 F3 season in third, then stepped up to F2.

After his victory, Browning is now only 21 points behind the leader, Leonardo Fornaroli, with three rounds remaining before the racing weekend in Baku

He eventually got the opportunity to be mentored by The Williams Racing Driver Academy, which he said was a "fantastic environment to be around".

"The Williams factory support me in very different ways - obviously, I need the seats to get into F2, but the idea is an investment in the driver to hopefully do the job when they step into F1."

He describes his two practice sessions with a F1 car as having been "very surreal".

"It's a lot of lights, money and action, but actually it's a big group of people all working towards a goal.

"And if you look at it like that, when you walk in, often the lights start to dim and start to be able to focus on the things that are actually performing."

Browning said that among the "many special things" about the F1 car, one of the most extreme was turning into a corner while doing up to 320 kmph (198 mph).

He also compared the stopping force to "being kicked to the back of the head by a donkey".

"It was almost an assault to the senses."

Browning wants to help create a pathway into racing "for people like myself"

Browning's focus is now on "an exciting finale" in Baku.

"It's probably the place that we drive quickest ... only inches away from the walls there," he said.

He is inspired by the achievements of new drivers making the successful jump such as Oliver Bearman who is now a full time driver in F1 with Banbury-based Haas.

"It shows that the rookies can do a good job and I think hopefully, I'm next in the line," Browning said.

But he remains undaunted by the potential future fame and said he hopes to be able to "walk around Wantage any time and not be recognised".

"I really enjoy this area because I feel really unbothered and the life here is really nice," he said.

He added he also wanted to "help create a pathway for people like myself".

"It's what the Autosport Award does now for the younger drivers and it's going to be interesting to see how that develops."