{"id":504310,"date":"2026-02-26T02:02:17","date_gmt":"2026-02-26T02:02:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/504310\/"},"modified":"2026-02-26T02:02:17","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T02:02:17","slug":"f1-news-williams-reserve-driver-escapes-horror-crash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/504310\/","title":{"rendered":"F1 news: Williams reserve driver escapes horror crash"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"F1
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLuke Browning has walked away from a horror crash during Super Formula testing in Japan. Image: MotorsportJP X<\/p>\n

The 24-year-old suffered a terrifying high-speed accident at the iconic 130R corner on a rain-soaked opening day of pre-season running in Japan.<\/p>\n

His Kondo Racing car aquaplaned before spearing into the barriers, digging into the gravel and launching into a somersault over the wall and Armco barrier.<\/p>\n

The Dallara-Toyota eventually came to rest upside down beyond the barrier, prompting immediate concern trackside.<\/p>\n

Marshals assisted Browning from the cockpit, thankfully unharmed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a bit of an unfortunate crash,\u201d Browning told reporters.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just aquaplaned and then I was just a passenger. In hindsight, it would have been better to pit when the rain started to come down harder.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are lessons you learn; it\u2019s all about learning over here, and today was a lesson that I\u2019ll take forward in my career.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m completely fine, no pain. Luckily, I landed on the hay and didn\u2019t hit the barriers, so all good.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe HANS device is fantastic. It saved my neck, I would have thought.\u201d<\/p>\n

SF\u9234\u9e7f\u30c6\u30b9\u30c8\u3067\u30eb\u30fc\u30af\u30fb\u30d6\u30e9\u30a6\u30cb\u30f3\u30b0\u304c\u30b7\u30e7\u30c3\u30ad\u30f3\u30b0\u306a\u30af\u30e9\u30c3\u30b7\u30e5<\/p>\n

130R\u3067\u30b9\u30d4\u30f3\u3057\u3001\u30d0\u30ea\u30a2\u306e\u5411\u3053\u3046\u5074\u307e\u3067\u30de\u30b7\u30f3\u304c\u98db\u3093\u3067\u3044\u3063\u3066\u3057\u307e\u3044\u307e\u3057\u305f\u304c\u3001\u30d6\u30e9\u30a6\u30cb\u30f3\u30b0\u306f\u30de\u30b7\u30f3\u3092\u964d\u308a\u3066\u6b69\u3044\u3066\u3044\u308b\u59ff\u304c\u78ba\u8a8d\u3055\u308c\u3066\u3044\u307e\u3059#SFormula<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/gEW8du3UqP<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Motorsport.com\u65e5\u672c\u7248 (@MotorsportJP) February 25, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

The incident comes as Browning balances his Super Formula program with his role as reserve driver for Williams in 2026. <\/a><\/p>\n

He will serve as a back-up to Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz while continuing simulator and development duties.<\/p>\n

Browning earned the reserve promotion following a standout 2025 Formula 2 campaign in which he finished fourth overall, claiming a feature race victory at Monza and multiple podiums across the season.<\/p>\n

Browning was fourth in the morning session. Igor Fraga set the pace for Nakajima Racing ahead of Kakunoshin Ohta and Ren Sato.<\/p>\n

In the afternoon, the track improved slightly. Sato topped the session ahead of Tadasuke Makino, Fraga, Nirei Fukuzumi, and Browning.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going better than we thought, to be honest,\u201d said Browning.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know it\u2019s going to be difficult, the standard is super-high. Wet conditions have always been a strength of mine, and I think I showed that again.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd considering the lap was done without the use of OTS (overtake system), we look like we\u2019re fast.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe in the dry we still have to do a bit more development, but I really want to show this team can be fast, so let\u2019s see.\u201d<\/p>\n

Issues in the morning session limited Kalle Rovanpera to just eight laps. He was last in that session but improved to 19th in the afternoon.<\/p>\n

Testing at Suzuka continues on Thursday. The first round of the season takes place at Motegi on April 4-5.<\/p>\n


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