Ginetta Junior star Luke Browning will make the step up to the British Formula 4 championship next season.
Browning, who finished third in this year’s Ginetta Junior competition, will spearhead Richardson Racing’s 2019 F4 campaign.
This will be Browning’s third season with the Corby based squad, having joined Richardson Racing for his maiden Ginetta Junior campaign in 2017.
Browning said the chance to remain with Richardson Racing was an important part of his decision to make the move to F4
“The opportunity to make the step up to British F4 is an amazing one for me and I have to say a massive thanks to Richardson Racing and also to Proceed, as it wouldn’t be possible without their ongoing support and the faith they have shown me,” he said.
“The fact that I’m able to remain with the team has been a key factor in this seal because we have developed a really good working relationship over the past two seasons. They have helped to mould me into the driver I am and we know how each other works, so there is no one else I would want to graduate with.
“Running in a single-seater with slicks and wings is going to be totally different to anything I’ve done before, but the team has good experience of running the car and we have a good testing programme in place to help me get up to speed.
“It’s difficult to set myself any targets before testing has even started but you only have to look at what people like Lando Norris, Jamie Caroline, and Kiern Jewiss have achieved in F4 to see that we can quickly be in a position to challenge for podium finishes.”
Browning started his car racing career in the Junior Saloon Car Championship in 2016, picking up three overall podiums and his first car racing win at Brands Hatch.
From there he moved to the Ginetta championship with Richardson Racing. After a strong rookie year, he arrived on the grid in 2018 ready to fight for the championship. He took eight overall victories and was challenging for the title until the very end of the season.
Team boss Gwyn Richardson is confident he will continue to develop with the team in F4 next year.
“Over the past two seasons we have seen Luke develop from a raw youngster into a very talented racer, as he showed with his performances on track over the course of 2018.
“With his time in Ginetta Juniors at an end, we were keen to maintain our relationship with Luke as we know there is still more to come from him, and are delighted to confirm that he will now spearhead our return to British F4 after a year away.
“If you look at the record of some of the drivers who have graduated from Ginetta Juniors into British F4 in the past, it goes without saying that we are all extremely excited about what the 2019 season holds for Luke.
“We are confident that he will build on the success he enjoyed on track this year and will continue to make a real impression as he takes his career to the next level.”
Browning has already begun running on the simulator and will start a full on-track test programme before the start of the season.
