British racing driver Luke Browning had a successful year, winning the 2022 GB3 Championship and the Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year Award all within the space of a couple of months. Feeder Series caught up with the 20-year-old British racer at the Autosport International Show 2023 about all of his recent achievements.

By Gemma Cockrell

The past six weeks have been an absolute whirlwind for Browning, from being crowned the GB3 champion with Hitech in October to being presented with the Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year Award in December.

“It’s been pretty incredible,” he replies when asked how he’s been feeling recently. “I thoroughly enjoyed [receiving] the award, and this year in total. Taking both [the] drivers’ and teams’ championship with Hitech, all my dreams came true this year.”

In recent years, Browning has performed consistently well in racing categories within the UK, but winning the Young Driver of the Year Award has given him recognition on an international platform for the first time.

“It’s proved that I can stick up there with the guys from the top leagues in European racing. Look at Ollie Bearman, P3 in FIA F3 last year; Louis Foster absolutely dominated Indy Pro, and of course Jamie Chadwick won W Series three times in a row. To beat that sort of competition is pretty incredible!”

2023: F1 test with Aston Martin

Now, he is looking forward to the autumn, when he will drive a Formula One car for the first time. “I think it’s going to blow my face off!” he laughs. “I’m going to train for it, I’m going to be ready, I’m going to be prepped. I tell you what, when I say it’s little boy dreams coming true, it’s a complete understatement. I’m honestly pinching myself every day.

“Looking back through 2016 and 2017, it’s strange because I have the same thought process but I’m in a completely different point of my career. Having the opportunities that I have at my feet now, especially coming into this 2023 season, it’s pretty surreal.”

The mention of the 2023 season leads to the obvious question that everyone wants to know the answer to: What does Browning have planned for the year?

“I hope to step over to Europe, but I can’t really divulge anything other than that,” he admits. “I think there’s going to be some exciting stuff coming up, but it’s all about signing that dotted line. Hopefully we get some things pushed through and some things work out, but I can tell you it’s looking good.”

Hopefully we get some things pushed through and some things work out, but I can tell you it’s looking good

Luke Browning on his 2023 plans

After Feeder Series reminds Browning that previous winners of the Aston Martin BRDC Young Driver of the Year Award include 13-time Formula One race winner David Coulthard and 2009 drivers’ champion Jenson Button, he tells us that he feels like this is only the start of the hard work for him.

“This isn’t the time to relax and say that I’ve completed everything in the UK. This is the time to nail down and say, ‘Let’s go for it’. The opportunities that are coming out of this are incredible, and I’ve got to grab them by the ruff of the neck.”

Additional reporting by Jake Sanson

Header photo credit: Jakob Ebrey Photography