Luke returns to British soil with GB3 guest outing

Rising star Luke Browning will make his return to British soil this weekend after securing a guest drive in his home round of the GB3 Championship in association with the BRDC.

The one-off outing at Oulton Park – located less than ten miles away from the family home in Kingsley – will be Luke’s first race outing in the UK since the 2020 British F4 season finale at Brands Hatch back in November.

There, on one of the most dramatic weekends in recent memory, Luke was able to wrap up the championship title with the highest points-per-race tally in series history – securing top honours by just four points.

His return to the UK this weekend will come with the same Fortec Motorsport team that carried him to the British F4 crown, with the BRDC Rising Star being given the call to compete in Cheshire as the team seeks to cement its top three position in the championship standings.

Luke has enjoyed plenty of success at Oulton Park in the past, taking a race win during his time in the Ginetta Junior Championship before a stunning hat-trick last year en-route to his F4 crown.

Although he has no prior experience of racing the GB3 car, Luke tested with Fortec over the winter whilst evaluating his options for 2021 and will get back behind the wheel for pre-event testing ahead of the three-race weekend.

Luke’s participation in the event has been made possible by a break in his programme in the ADAC F4 Championship, where he is competing with the US Racing team headed by former F1 race winner Ralf Schumacher and ex-Audi DTM boss Gerhard Ungar.

The talented teenager secured a win on his debut in the series at the Red Bull Ring having previously scored a podium finish on a guest outing in the Italian F4 series at Paul Ricard, and sits fifth in the championship standings ahead of the resumption of the season at Hockenheim later this month.

“With my programme this season being overseas, it’s great to have the chance to ‘come home’ for a weekend and join the GB3 grid at Oulton Park,” he said. “As my home circuit, I’m looking forward to having plenty of support from my family and friends and it would be great if I was able to add to the success I’ve enjoyed there racing in the past.

“It’s even more special that this chance has come along with Fortec after our title-winning campaign last season, and it makes the whole weekend a lot easier because I know everyone in the team and can slot back in like I’ve never been away.

“Although I’ve not raced the car this season, I’m not going into the weekend just to make up the numbers and I want to be fighting for the win! I’m sure that the team will give me a car that is capable of fighting at the front and with a day of testing to get back up to speed, I’m confident that I can make the most of this opportunity and support the team with its championship bid.”