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Rising star Luke Browning sits back on top of the 2022 GB3 Championship powered by the BRDC standings after returning to the top step of the podium at Snetterton.

Luke went into the weekend sitting second in the standings having grabbed a fifth podium finish of the year at Donington Park in the previous meeting, with his focus on trying to make it back onto the top step of the podium for the first time since the Oulton Park season opener.

Pre-event testing showed Luke was right on the pace, with his time in the final session on Friday proving to be the fastest set across five sessions held over two days.

Having qualified third on the grid for the opening race, Luke made a great start when the lights went out to draw alongside Joel Granfors on the run to turn one, and was able to make it through into second spot despite his rival trying to close the gap.

From there, Luke would run on the tail of leader Callum Voisin before crossing the line in second spot for a result that moved him back into the points lead.

Luke’s second best time in qualifying would be good enough to earn pole for race two, with the Hitech racer taking up his place at the head of the pack ready for the start.

Despite the best efforts of Granfors to beat him off the line, Luke held firm at the front on the run to Riches to retain his lead and then fought hard throughout a tense 12 lap encounter to record his third win of the campaign.

“It was a good race, Joel was really quick, as expected coming into the weekend,” he said. “Obviously it’s difficult to overtake around here and I was just keeping my head down and looking forward. It might not have been the cleanest race, but it’s a win.

“He was maybe quicker at the start but we went for longevity and my tyres didn’t clean as quickly as we’d thought. But either way the pace is something we need to look at back in the awning later on to see if we can find a couple of tenths here or there, but I’m sure between my driving and the guys back there we can find it.

With the full grid reversal for race three, the main aim was to stay out of trouble and make up as much ground as possible, with Luke crossing the line in 14th place, meaning he would finish ahead of Granfors for the fifth successive race.

As a result, Luke now holds an eleven point lead in the standings ahead of the next meeting at the famous Spa circuit in Belgium in a month’s time.

Rising star Luke Browning keep his bid to secure the 2022 GB3 Championship powered by the BRDC title on track at Donington Park after picking up a fifth podium finish of the campaign.

Luke headed into the weekend keen to close the gap at the top of the standings after an unfortunate result in the final race at Silverstone – where he had earlier scored two podium finishes – saw him lose his points lead.

Having shown strong pace in pre-event testing in his Hitech GP-run car, Luke qualified sixth on the grid for the opening race with a lap just two-tenths of a second away from pole, with his second best time also leaving him sixth on the grid for race two.

Race one would come to an early end however, when Luke was forced onto the grass trying to avoid a clash between two cars ahead – including title rival Joel Granfors – putting him out of the action on the spot.

Luke made amends however with a storming start to race two, which saw him rocket up to second on the opening lap.

From there, Luke kept the pressure firmly on leader Max Esterton before taking the flag in second spot – marking his fifth podium of the campaign.

“A good start was the key, I got the reaction time pretty much nailed and the pull away was really good,” he said. “I just managed to time it right and god was it a good feeling!

“It was a great result from P6 on the grid and the car underneath me was just amazing. It was exactly what we needed after we needed following the opening race, where luck just wasn’t on my side.”

The podium finish ahead of Granfors allowed Luke to reclaim the championship lead, and his weekend was rounded out with a fine run from 16th to ninth in the final race.

However, the points scored by Granfors in coming through from the final row to tenth place means he will take a single point lead over Luke into the next round at Snetterton in late June.

Rising star Luke Browning holds the early advantage in the race to secure the 2022 GB3 Championship powered by the BRDC title despite a mixed Monday at Oulton Park.

Luke’s championship campaign started in perfect fashion on Saturday after he grabbed a double pole position in his Hitech GP-run car and then romped to a dominant win in the opening race of the weekend – scoring fastest lap in the process.

The second race of the weekend on Bank Holiday Monday would see Luke once again dominate proceedings from the front as he converted his second pole into a second victory.

Nearly nine seconds clear by the end of the 14 lap encounter at his home circuit, Luke’s pace was evident as he lapped half a second quicker than he had done in race one.

With the final race of the weekend featuring a reverse grid, Luke faced a huge challenge to try and come through the pack from 19th place in his bid to secure a hat-track of race wins.

Working his way up to 16th in the opening laps despite Oulton Park being a circuit where overtaking is notoriously difficult, Luke’s race would end in unfortunate fashion when a clash with Tom Lebbon – for which Lebbon was later excluded – saw him forced into retirement.

Despite the disappointing end to the weekend, Luke’s double victory means he holds a seven point lead in the early standings ahead of the next round of the campaign at Silverstone in early May.

“It’s amazing to come away with two wins, it’s exactly what we wanted,” he said. “Unfortunately in the last race there was nothing I could do about it, and that was mirrored in the Clerk’s office as well. It is what it is unfortunately but we’re coming away with the championship lead which is good.

“Not every weekend is like this, and it wasn’t easy either as a lot of preparation went into it. It’ll be hard to stay at the top but we’re going to try!”

Rising start Luke Browning made the ideal start to his first full season in the GB3 Championship on home soil at Oulton Park.

Having topped pre-event testing, Luke was in dominant form on the opening day of the season to grab the early advantage in the standings and showed why he is one of the championship favourites for the year ahead.

The first qualifying session for the upgraded GB3 car saw Luke rocket to pole, lapping more than two seconds quicker than the benchmark time from 2021 to beat Joel Granthors to secure top spot on the times.

That meant Luke headed the field going into race one, whilst he also grabbed pole for race two thanks to his second quickest time.

Race one of the weekend would see Luke show his talents in stunning fashion as he led the field into Old Hall for the first time and then simply raced away from the squabbling pack behind.

A winning margin of 10.258s was the biggest in the series since October 2020 and puts Luke on top of the standings ahead of Easter Monday’s two races.

“The car felt absolutely phenomenal today,” he said. “The engineers did a smashing job. I was just piecing laps together and it honestly felt easy in that car, so a big thanks to Hitech.

“It’s a tight championship and it’s never easy to win at any level so it just shows you how much hard work we’ve put in over the winter. It was important to keep my head level, it’s the first race of the season, so it’s nice to have the points in the bag but we’ve got to do it again on Monday.”

Rising star Luke Browning has been named as a BRDC Superstar ahead of his return to British soil to compete in the 2022 GB3 Championship partnered by the BRDC.

Formed back in 2008, the Superstars programme has helped more than 100 drivers with training, development and fitness programmes designed to aid them in their careers with Luke one of a number of new drivers added to the programme ahead of the new season.

British Touring Car Championship race winner Jake Hill, Porsche Supercup racer Harry King and factory BMW driver Dan Harper are amongst the existing Superstars that Luke will now work alongside.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity,” he said. “It’s amazing news as there are only a few people who get chosen to join the programme. It’s an absolutely phenomenal opportunity and I’m looking forward to seeing the doors it will help open.”

Luke was previously a member of the BRDC Rising Star programme, an honour he secured on the back of winning the 2020 British F4 Championship title.

Rising star Luke Browning will return to UK soil for the 2022 season after inking a deal with leading outfit Hitech GP for the upcoming GB3 Championship campaign.

The 20-year-old from Kingsley in Cheshire joins Hitech on the back of a successful campaign in the ADAC F4 series last year, where he finished third in the standings in his first year competing on the international stage after a season featuring two wins and an impressive eight podiums.

Luke, who won the British F4 title in dramatic fashion back in 2020, also made his GB3 debut on home soil at Oulton Park, taking a race victory as a guest entry.

The deal for 2022 sees Luke joins forces with one of the leading single-seater teams in British motorsport, with Hitech GP having a presence in both FIA Formula 2 and FIA Formula 3 – giving Luke a potential ladder all the way up to the Formula 1 support paddock.

“I’m delighted to announce that I will be joining Hitech GP for our 2022 title push,” Luke said. “I’m feeling excited and confident in the team, and I’m looking forward to fighting for victories this year.

“Pre-season testing has gone great and we’re going to be well prepared for our campaign, so let’s go and get it!”

Luke’s first full season in GB3 will see him at the wheel of a brand new Tatuus MSV-022 car, which incorporates the halo alongside a raft of safety and aerodynamic improvements as well as a more powerful engine from specialist powertrain experts Mountune.

The season, featuring 24 races split across eight rounds, will get underway at Oulton Park in mid-April and includes rounds at all of the leading UK circuits as well as the famous Spa Francorchamps venue in Belgium.