Mexico City Grand Prix · News
Browning to take two more Williams FP1 outings in 2026
Luke Browning will replace Alex Albon in Mexico and Carlos Sainz in Brazil, bringing his 2026 Williams FP1 total to five.
Williams has confirmed that Luke Browning will take part in two more first practice sessions in 2026, beginning at the Mexico City Grand Prix this weekend. The Briton is set to drive Alex Albon’s car in Mexico before stepping into Carlos Sainz’s car for FP1 in Brazil.
The two sessions will bring Browning’s total for the season to five. He has already driven the FW48 in Barcelona, Austria and Italy, though car trouble curtailed his first outing in Barcelona and left him without meaningful running.
Albon gives up a third session for Browning
Albon will make way for Browning in Mexico, surrendering a third practice session to the Williams protege. He had already stepped aside for the youngster twice, including in Italy.
Browning’s earlier appearances have included the Barcelona and Austria sessions covered in our report on his first Williams FP1 outings. The latest confirmation adds two further chances for him to gain track time in the FW48 before the season ends.
Sainz is due to stand down for Browning in Brazil, giving the Williams driver a second consecutive race-weekend appearance. The source of Browning’s lost running in Barcelona remains a relevant part of his season so far: mechanical problems prevented him from making the most of that first opportunity.
More rookie drivers are set for FP1 appearances
Several other teams have also confirmed drivers for practice sessions. Fred Vesti is scheduled to replace George Russell at Mercedes, Jak Crawford will take Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin, and Freddie Slater is set for his first FP1 appearance with Audi.
Audi has not confirmed which driver Slater will replace in Mexico. Gabriel Bortoleto is considered the likely choice, while the source also identifies him as the probable driver to give up his seat for Slater in Brazil. That would mean Nico Hulkenberg is likely to stand down at the team’s other Brazilian session.
Browning’s Mexico outing follows his earlier substitution for Alex Albon at Monza, detailed in our report on his Williams FP1 appearance there. His two newly confirmed sessions complete the five FP1 appearances Williams has planned for him this season.