Williams reveals F1 2026 reserve driver and academy line-up

Williams has announced Luke Browning as the team’s reserve driver for the 2026 Formula 1 season.

The Grove-based squad did not previously have a reserve driver, though it theoretically could call upon Mercedes’ third driver, Williams’ own former racer Valtteri Bottas, throughout 2025.

A member of the Williams Driver Academy since 2023, Browning took part in three Free Practice 1 sessions with the team in 2025. He finished third in Formula 3 and fourth in Formula 2 in the last two years, meaning he is eligible for a superlicence.

Soon to be 24, the Briton will take on this role alongside his maiden campaign in Super Formula, meaning he will be unavailable for the Montreal, Spa-Francorchamps, Singapore and Las Vegas F1 grands prix.

Williams has not stated who will be the reserve driver then, but test and development driver Victor Martins is eligible for a superlicence after winning the Formula Renault Eurocup and Formula 3 titles in 2020 and 2022.

Alongside Oliver Turvey and Harrison Scott, Martins will be involved in the outfit’s development programmes and will also be tasked with refining its simulator.

Williams Driver Academy

Photo by: Williams

Meanwhile, the team has also announced the new line-up for the Williams Driver Academy, which Browning remains a member of.

He is joined in 2026 by 2022 French F4 champion Alessandro Giusti, who finished sixth in F3 last year; Jade Jacquet, Williams’ representative in F1 Academy after taking 24th in French F4 last season; 2025 Italian F4 champion Kean Nakamura-Berta, who used to be an Alpine junior and will graduate to Formula Regional; and Oleksandr Bondarev, a race winner in Italian F4.

Also featuring in the academy are karting drivers Dean Hoogendoorn, Will Green and Lucas Palacio. Hoogendoorn was the FIA European Junior champion and WSK Super Master Series OKJ champion last year, while Palacio took the WSK Super Master Series OKNJ title at just 11 years old.