The British Red Bull and Williams F1 hopefuls heading to Silverstone in a championship fight

Two Britons will head to their home event at Silverstone in the middle of the Formula 2 title fight. Both are rookies, both have been successful on their way up the single-seater ladder and both could make it onto the F1 grid in the not-too-distant future.

Red Bull junior Arvid Lindblad and Williams Racing Driver Academy member Luke Browning were race winners in F3 and have stepped up to the 620bhp Dallara F2 2024. Five podiums in the first nine races put Browning into the points lead, but a scrappy event in Spain dropped the Hitech GP driver to fifth in the standings, where he stayed after the Red Bull Ring last weekend.

Lindblad, already a sprint winner, took pole by a quarter of a second at Barcelona with Campos Racing and then consummately controlled the feature race to move up to third in the championship. The tightness of the battle was then underlined by him falling to sixth with a point-less weekend in Austria.

Just 35 points cover MP Motorsport’s Dutch veteran Richard Verschoor (now in his fifth season of F2!) at the top of the standings, Rodin Motorsport’s impressive Irish rookie Alex Dunne, American Jak Crawford (DAMS), reigning F3 champion Leonardo Fornaroli (Invicta), Browning and Lindblad at the championship’s halfway stage.

It’s been a rapid rise for 17-year-old Lindblad. In 2023, his first full season of car racing, he was a frontrunner in Italian F4, then he skipped the Formula Regional European/GB3 level to go straight into F3. Point proved there, Lindblad was always likely to be tested in F2 by Red Bull. He’s therefore accustomed to big leaps from season to season.

“The F2 is bigger, more powerful and a bit more downforce than F3, but I would say the step is smaller than from F4 to F3,” explains Lindblad. “I’ve been pushed very quickly through the categories, always sort of being the youngest. As soon as I was eligible to go up to the next category, I went. So, I’m very used to being pushed quite hard and making big steps.

“I’d say the biggest thing is that the level is higher. It’s the future of F1, we’re the closest to that. And then there are the new things with pitstops, with the tyre compounds, the way the feature races are – there’s quite a lot to learn.”

At 23, Browning has taken a longer path, all the way from Junior Saloons and Ginetta Junior, via winning the UK-based GB3 championship. “I think it’s an interesting journey between F4, F3, F2,” reckons the 2020 British F4 champion, who started six F2 races for ART Grand Prix at the end of last year. “The ladder to climb is difficult and can fall from under your feet pretty quickly.

Browning has had a more protracted motorsport journey, starting in Junior Saloons

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“They’re very, very different cars. We’ve done a lot of preparation for F2 and we’ve been ready. Back end of last year, coming off F3, we weren’t ready. It shows you what the last couple of months of prep can do before heading into the season.”

Following Lindblad’s Spanish victory, the FIA approved Red Bull’s request for him to be granted a superlicence before he reaches the usual minimum age of 18. It means he can now be a reserve driver and will make his FP1 debut at Silverstone, driving Yuki Tsunoda’s Red Bull RB21.

“The only step higher now is F1 and it’s pretty cool to be moving up,” says Lindblad, who adds that he is not fazed by Red Bull’s reputation for spitting out promising drivers. “I don’t really think about the pressure. Red Bull is known to be cut-throat, yes. But my perception is, isn’t everything? If you don’t perform in your job, you get fired. If I don’t perform in mine, I get fired. And it’s the same in all sport.

“The reality is, I think if I do a good job, then I’ll be fine. In the end, I want to be a Formula 1 world champion. I’m here for myself. I started this journey when I was five, and that was my goal from the beginning. So, it doesn’t really affect me too much.”

“Being in the game every weekend is going to be the important thing and then we’ll see where we end up. The biggest thing is continuing to improve” Arvid Lindblad

While both are clearly aiming for the F2 crown, they answer the question of, ‘What is your target for 2025?’ in slightly different ways.

Lindblad: “I don’t really want to think about the championship, but I’d be lying if I said that it’s not on my radar. We know in F2 things can change very quickly. It’s a very challenging championship, so it’s going to be about doing the basics well and trying to perform well every weekend, which is much easier said than done.

“Being in the game every weekend is going to be the important thing and then we’ll see where we end up. The biggest thing is continuing to improve.”

Browning is unequivocal about trying to follow in the footsteps of Charles Leclerc, George Russell and Oscar Piastri, who all won the F2 title in their rookie seasons: “I’ve been told by [Williams team boss] James Vowles I need to win it. And why not? I think I’m experienced enough now.

Lindblad’s rapid rise means he’s used to “making big steps”

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“If you want to be in F1, you need to be exceptional. And what does exceptional look like at this stage? Exceptional looks like winning the championship in your first year. It’s not an easy task, but it’s one that gets me excited and one that makes me want to drive.”

Browning has already performed for Williams on a grand prix weekend, having taken part in FP1 in Abu Dhabi last year and Bahrain in April, with more outings planned. “I’m getting the opportunity to drive F1 cars now on race weekends, which is cool, I’m living a bit of a dream at the moment,” continues Browning.

“The obvious goal is they want me to be an F1 driver at some point. They’ve got an interest in my career. And it’s all about the progression. At the end of this year, they want to see a finished product. And that’s my goal, too.

“If you have a look through my career, you’d probably go, ‘OK, the kid’s quite quick, naturally talented, maybe a little bit too aggressive sometimes, crashing when unnecessary’. But how can you hone that to make a championship title and to put it together?

“Usually in the lower formulas, the raw pace can get you through to win the championship. But in F3 and F2, it doesn’t. So, it’s approaching it in a different way and accepting when points are points. And showing James, showing the team, showing the whole F1 paddock, that I’m a finished product. And what that looks like is consistency.”

He’s managed that so far and views Barcelona as a blip because the pace was still decent: “We were coming home in P2 in the sprint race and a safety car comes out in the last five laps. We didn’t have the time to box because the safety car came out as we were coming just before the last corner. So it was just past the pit cut-off time.”

The result was Browning finished sixth, before contact and a penalty kept him out of the points in the feature race.

Hitech boss Oliver Oakes has been a big supporter of Browning, who has raced with the team since 2022. Browning believes Oakes’s recent troubles – resigning from his job as Alpine team principal and brother William’s arrest – has had no impact on the F2 effort.

Browning’s focus is on completing the F2 season as a “finished product”

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“I think it’s been completely dissociated from Oli to personal matters and to the team,” he asserts. “It’s not affected us in the slightest. And Oli’s been like a dad to me; he’s such a fantastic guy and I’ve got so much to thank him for. He’s resumed the role at Hitech and maybe that’s just in good time for the end of the championship.”

And so to Silverstone. Lindblad and Browning have very different experiences from their home F3 round last year. Browning took pole for the feature race and led in the wet but was overwhelmed by those on slicks as the track dried late on.

One of those was Lindblad, who inherited victory when Callum Voisin copped a penalty for overtaking off-track. That completed a rare double, Lindblad having comfortably won the sprint the day before.

“Last year was extremely special, it was an amazing moment and something I’ll remember forever,” smiles Lindblad. “But regardless of that, driving the circuit and being at home was just really enjoyable.

“The Copse, Maggotts and Becketts section is very special. In F3, that was really amazing to drive, so we’ll see if it’s going to be even more enjoyable in the F2” Arvid Lindblad

“I’m not going into the weekend expecting to do the same, because that almost never happens. But Isack [Hadjar] was on pole and won the feature race [with Lindblad’s team Campos] there last year, so the team has a really good car and we’re gelling better as well, me and the team. I have full confidence that we’ll be really fast and we’ll be challenging at the sharp end.

“The Copse, Maggotts and Becketts section is very special. In F3, that was really amazing to drive, so we’ll see if it’s going to be even more enjoyable in the F2.”

Browning admits to being “still sour” about last year’s Silverstone outcome, but is a fan of the circuit, upon which he won the 2022 Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Award: “Maggotts and Becketts are so special, but I also think, funnily enough, that Luffield is just fantastic because of the line you take through there over the kerb, holding it tight, when you’re really powering through and you’re feeling the grip of the tyre all the way out. I think it’s a corner like no other in the world.”

Lindblad and Browning are also part of the British Racing Drivers’ Club’s SuperStars programme and there is clearly mutual respect. But there’s also a little distance, perhaps necessary in such a competitive environment.

“Everyone’s here to win, aren’t they?” summarises Browning. “As much as you can smile at each other around the paddock and you can have the respect for the other drivers, we all know what we’re here for. I don’t think anyone is blind to that.”

Lindblad won the feature race from pole position at Barcelona

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The state of play in F3

Reigning Formula Regional European champion Rafael Camara has been the star of the F3 pack so far in 2025. Four poles and three feature race victories have put the Trident driver atop the table, though a strong Austrian weekend for MP’s Tim Tramnitz has moved him to within 24 points of the Brazilian.

Campos Racing’s Nikola Tsolov, who impressed with pole, victory and fastest lap in the Monaco feature contest, is third, just about hanging on to Camara despite losing victory at the Red Bull Ring due to excessive plank wear.

After having Lindblad and Browning in contention last year, the British challengers in 2025 aren’t quite in the title fight. But sophomore Voisin has been a consistent points threat with Rodin and was runner-up in the Bahrain feature.

“It’s been quite frustrating,” admits the 19-year-old. “We’ve had a few mistakes on my end. Other things haven’t really fallen into place.

“I had a good rookie season with Rodin. I saw the progress that they made throughout the year with me, and a pole and a win at Spa was definitely the highlight.

“Coming into this year, we were much more prepared, did a lot more testing, which was great. And then coming into the season with a new car, it gave us an opportunity to hit the ground running.”

When it comes to Silverstone, Voisin has “unfinished business” thanks to losing out on his victory last year post-race and dropping to third. “I made a mistake and I own up to it,” he continues. “I’m very much looking forward to coming back and going two steps better.”

Voisin’s rookie team-mate Louis Sharp, the reigning GB3 champion, has had a trickier time as he gets to grips with new circuits and the Dallara F3 2025, with limited track time. Nevertheless, there have been flashes of potential, including points finishes in both Monaco races.

While Voisin admits this season has been “quite frustrating”, his Silverstone target is no less than victory

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“It’s definitely a big step up,” says the 18-year-old Anglo-Kiwi. “Coming from British F4 and GB3, the European track knowledge is obviously not there. There’s a lot of new experiences for me.

“The old GB3 was very light, nimble, not a lot of power, but had cornering capabilities, and especially in the slow-speed corners. I think a lot of slow-speed corners, the GB3 car is probably faster than the F3 because the F3 is a lot bigger, it’s a lot heavier.

“It’s got a lot more power and more downforce, it’s a completely different driving style. I think the hardest thing to adapt to is probably the tyre. All the single-seater racing experience I’ve had has been on a tyre where you can push flat-out the whole race and they don’t really go away.

“This last half of the season, I need to start getting results. I need to be getting those consistent point finishes, getting those podiums, and maybe even a race win” Louis Sharp

“So, qualifying, you can do four laps in a row of pushing. You might do one cool-down lap and then you can do another three or four, whereas in F3, you do half a lap and the tyre is already gone. It prepares you well for Formula 2 because F2 is the exact same thing. Maybe Formula 1 as well, it’s all about management now of the tyre.

“I need to learn as much as I can this year. This last half of the season, I need to start getting results. I need to be getting those consistent point finishes, getting those podiums, and maybe even a race win.”

At Silverstone, Sharp will finally be at a circuit that he knows, so hopes to get closer to the front.

“I think that should give me a helping hand,” he says. “The actual track itself is one of my favourites. And I think in the F3 car through the high-speed stuff is going to be pretty cool.”

Hear more from Lindblad, Browning and other rising stars on the Autosport Racing Podcast channel.

Rodin Motorsport team-mates Louis Sharp (left) and Callum Voisin

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