Williams has confirmed that reserve driver and Academy member, Luke Browning, will be back behind the wheel of Alex Albon's FW48 for the opening practice session at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza.

Browning took to the wheel of the FW48 in Austria for his first full FP1 session under the new technical regulations, gaining invaluable on-track experience of the new generation cars.

The knowledge gained will be vital in feeding directly into his simulator work, supporting the team's progress behind the scenes alongside his reserve trackside role.

The Monza session will mark Browning's sixth FP1 appearance for the team and his second of the 2026 season, fulfilling the team's second mandated rookie test session.

His participation in FP1 sessions is part of Williams' tradition of giving young talent a pathway into F1. Its Driver Academy supports drivers on every rung of the motorsport ladder, bringing emerging drivers into the programme and supporting them as they advance toward the highest levels of competition.

In addition to his reserve duties for the team, Browning continues to race for Team Kondo Racing in Super Formula - Japan's premier racing series, considered to be the second-fastest racing series in the world behind Formula 1. After four rounds he is currently 12th in the standings, his best results being a 4th at Motegi and again at Suzuka.

"I'm thrilled to have another chance to drive an FP1 session with Williams," said Browning. "It's a great opportunity to get invaluable laps in the FW48 while building my understanding of the car and helping to bring useful data and feedback back to Grove.

"Each session teaches you something new, and I want to take every bit of learning I can from this to keep pushing my development and the team forward. For this weekend, it's about supporting Williams to help maximise the result here in Monza."