RICHARDSON RACING RETURNS TO BRITISH F4 WITH GINETTA JUNIOR ACE BROWNING

The Richardson Racing team has become the second in a matter of weeks to confirm that it will return to the F4 British Championship Certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost for the 2019 season.

On the back of a successful 2018, the Corby-based team will return to British F4 looking to challenge towards the sharp end of the grid, with Ginetta Junior Championship title contender Luke Browning leading its challenge on track.
 
The 16-year-old from Cheshire finished third in the Ginetta standings this season with an impressive record of eight wins and a total of 18 podium finishes and becomes the latest graduate of the series to choose British F4 for the next phase of his career.
 
Browning has already started preparations for the new season with time in Richardson Racing’s simulator ahead of the start of on-track testing.
 
“The opportunity to make the step up to British F4 is an amazing one for me and I have to say massive thanks to Richardson Racing and also to Proceed Group as it wouldn’t be possible without their ongoing support and the faith they have shown in me,” he said.
 
“The fact that I’m able to remain with the team has been a key factor in this deal because we have developed a really good working relationship over the past two seasons. They have helped to mould me into the driver I am and we know how each other works, so there is no-one else I would want to graduate with.
 
“Running in a single-seater with slicks and wings is going to be totally different to anything I’ve done before, but the team has good experience of running the car and we have a good testing programme in place to help me get up to speed.
 
“It’s difficult to set myself any targets before testing has even started, but you only have to look at what people like Lando Norris, Jamie Caroline and Kiern Jewiss have achieved in F4 to see that the Ginetta Junior Championship is the ideal stepping stone.
 
“With that in mind, I feel confident that we can do a good job next year and I’d like to think that we can quickly be in a position to challenge for podium finishes.”
 
Team principal Gwyn Richardson expressed confidence that the 2019 season would give the team the opportunity to make an impression as it returns to the series.
 
“Over the past two seasons we have seen Luke develop from a raw youngster into a very talented racer, as he showed with his performances on track over the course of 2018,” he said.
 
“With his time in Ginetta Juniors at an end, we were keen to maintain our relationship with Luke as we know there is still more to come from him, and are delighted to confirm that he will now spearhead our return to British F4 after a year away.
 
“If you look at the record of some of the drivers who have graduated from Ginetta Juniors into British F4 in the past, it goes without saying that we are extremely excited about what the 2019 season holds for Luke.
 
“We are confident that he will build on the success he enjoyed on track this year and will continue to make a real impression as he takes his career to the next level.”
 
Richardson Racing competed in British F4 from 2015 to 2017 before taking a sabbatical this year to focus on an expansion of its junior racing programme.

The team secured a place in history during the inaugural year of British F4 when it helped Louise Richardson to a podium finish at Croft – the only female driver thus far to have achieved the feat.
 
Richardson Racing follows Carlin in announcing a return to the series for 2019.