FIA Formula 3 is getting ready to head back out on track, as the paddock makes its way to Australia for the second time in the championship’s history. Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne hosts round two of the 2024 season, and all eyes are on championship leader Luke Browning, who is fresh off his first feature race victory in Bahrain. Can the Brit extend his lead at the top of the table and become the guy to beat this year?

By Daniele Spadi

Ahead of the opening race weekend of the season, Browning was thought by many to be one of the main contenders for the title. Staying for a second season in the series with Hitech GP, the 22-year-old had won the most prestigious event in the 2023 off-season, the Macau Grand Prix, in November, which gave him the confidence necessary to approach the new year with a winning mentality.

“It’s inarguably, alongside the Autosport Award, the biggest achievement of my career to date,” Browning said after his win last November. “It’s thoroughly humbling to put my name on that list. It feels surreal.”

The Brit has now started to attract the attention of many, including seasoned drivers who are occasionally sharing the paddock with him. One of them is four-time FIA GT World Cup winner Edoardo Mortara, who was impressed by the Brit’s skills in Macau. 

“The ones that impressed me, we were discussing about it, I think it’s [Luke] Browning,” the DTM and Formula E runner-up told Feeder Series. “I was actually speaking with my engineer, I think that he’s been with him with the prototype somewhere, and he told me that he was really good.”

The Swiss driver also underlined how important it was for young drivers to showcase their talent and speed on a track as tough as Macau. “If you can show that you are talented and you are quick here [in Macau], it definitely can have an impact on your career.”

Off to a great start

Right from pre-season testing, Browning looked quick, topping the standings in the final two days. Come the first weekend of the season, the Brit handled himself well on Friday, setting the second fastest lap in qualifying and securing a front row start for the feature race. 

Saturday wasn’t too kind on him, however, as a harsh ten-second time penalty for overtaking off the track saw him drop outside of the points-paying positions in the opening race of the year.

However, Browning bounced back on Sunday, taking first place right at the start from pole-sitter Dino Beganovic after some issues on the Swedish driver’s car, and the Brit never looked back, securing his maiden win in the series in dominant fashion.

Though it’s still very early in the season, the 22-year-old is leading the championship the same way Gabriel Bortoleto was in 2023, when the Brazilian eventually became champion.

“I’ve been in a couple championship fights now, and yeah, it’s gone well,” the Brit told Feeder Series. “I think, obviously, when you’re trying to prove yourself, you’re trying extra hard.”

“And I think it’s just becoming more natural now, you know, in testing, even in Macau or the last few times I’ve been in the car. I’m not necessarily trying as hard as I was last year, it’s just easier. And then I think with that comes less desperation, less hastiness. My mind’s clear when I’m driving.”

Signs of improvement

After struggling in his rookie F3 season, Browning seems to have found his footing since his win in Macau. His confidence is arguably at an all-time high, and this transfers to on-track performances and off-track attitude. Moreover, it was clear to see in Bahrain that Browning had a different approach to the race weekend. He now looks calmer and more considerate both on and off the track.

“Maybe not going 110% and going 95% in some places is enough,” Browning told Feeder Series when asked what he had learned from his maiden F3 campaign. “I think the story of last year was that when we were there, we were flying, and when we weren’t, we maybe had a wheel falling off, or I didn’t finish the race.”

However, the Hitech driver is still trying to enjoy his time in feeder series racing, as he’s living the dream he has had since he was a kid. 

“Every time I’m getting in the car at this point, I’m pinching myself,” he said. “I think most racing drivers, especially from the background that I’m from, I’m lucky to be here in the first place. But now, when the career starts to ramp up, and I’m driving on these sorts of circuits with the professional people around me against the best drivers in the world and succeeding at it, words can’t describe.”

Additional reporting by Michael McClure

Header photo credit: Macau Grand Prix Organizing Committee