Browning learns to 'decipher' Hamilton and eyes a Williams F1 seat

Browning might just be the busiest reserve driver in Formula 1. If the Brit isn’t in the simulator or at a briefing, or racing in the Super Formula series, there are plenty of marketing duties and media appearances to handle. “Talk to people,” he says with a laugh in an interview with GPblog about the content of his reserve role at Williams. “And obviously be ready if I'm ever needed. So that's the main job as a reserve, is being the perfect backup if the time comes.”

The experienced Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz are drivers from whom Browning can learn a lot, but in turn the former Formula 2 driver can also offer them something the engineers can’t: analyzing what’s happening on track from a driver’s perspective: “Say for example, I can sit there and look at lines between and understand why maybe Hamilton is taking advantage somewhere and maybe somewhere to try and I can then feedback that back on the radio to the chief engineers and say maybe it's worth trying this line. It looks like for whatever reason this place has been resurfaced and I can brainstorm there from my experience and look at everyone's on boards while the drives are on circuit. So that can be really useful.”

Browning already mentioned Lewis Hamilton, a driver for whom he clearly sees that this new generation of F1 cars suits the former champion much better than the previous one:“The way you have to carry speed, the way you have to do a little bit more rumbling, it's a little bit less stop -start than it has been in the past. I think it suits the driving style a bit more than it did last year with the Grand Prix cars, which is just something from watching, you know, it looks like it really suits him.”

While analysing from in front of a screen is interesting, Browning admits nothing beats racing himself. He still often watches his former F2 colleagues at work, sometimes with a hint of envy: “Of course, yeah. Definitely in places like Monaco, for example, like I miss driving Monaco. I was there for the weekend and thought, oh, I'd love to get in. But I believe, I'm in the best place. So I'm happy to have taken that step up and to be promoted to reserve driver shows that I did a great job last year in Formula 2, to be honest. And I'm happy to be in the position that I am. And just keep on learning.”

In any case, Browning is racing this season in Japan’s Super Formula, a championship totally different from what he’s used to. But that’s exactly why he thinks it’s smart to race there: “I think the wider, the more experience you have in more different things. So, the classic guys used to go and race touring car before going and doing Formula 1. I think that is what Max (Verstappen) is doing now in GT racing.”

For now, Browning can only dream of a career like Verstappen’s. However, there are whispers in the paddock that the Brit is the prime candidate to become a full-time Williams driver if Albon or Sainz leaves after this season. “I’d love to think that. We’ll see,” is Browning’s response.