Williams confirm Barcelona and Austria FP1 driver change

Williams has announced that Luke Browning will drive for the Grove-based outfit in first practice at both the Spanish and Austrian Grands Prix.

The Briton is set for significant track time over the next two rounds, with the outings representing his first experience of Formula 1's new power unit regulations.

Browning is Williams' official reserve driver this season and will replace Alex Albon in first practice this weekend before taking over from Carlos Sainz at the Red Bull Ring.

The two appearances will mark his fourth and fifth Formula 1 practice outings, further cementing his role at the heart of Williams' development programme.

Browning is the leading talent in Williams' driver academy and sits eighth in the Super Formula standings after finishing fourth in Formula 2 last year.

By fielding the 24-year-old over the next two events, the British team will need to run a rookie in only two further first-practice sessions this season to meet the FIA requirement.

While Browning has spent considerable time in the simulator, his first real-world experience of Formula 1's new generation of cars will represent a significant challenge, something he is acutely aware of.

Asked by RacingNews365 if he is prepared to drive the new cars, Browning replied: "I think it's super difficult. The new car, clearly, a lot of the experienced guys have been struggling with it. Yet the really exciting part for me is that it's a clean slate.

"Getting into FP1 last year was the fourth year of the car, and there were a lot of experienced guys on the grid. So hopping in for free practice when they've had four years in the car is very, very difficult if you want to get close.

"Whereas, okay, they've had pre-season testing in Barcelona, but I think this is now an opportunity for rookies coming in. It's quite exciting because we're not having to unlearn anything or unlearn braking points. It's still the fastest thing we've driven, essentially.

"So it's quite exciting for me to learn and experience something new. It's almost like starting a new chapter or a new skill tree in some games."