Zak O'Sullivan withdraws from Formula 2 due to funding and replaced by Luke Browning

Luke Browning (pictured) will come in and replace Zak O'Sullivan for the rest of the F2 season. Credit: Joe Portlock via Getty Images

British driver Zak O'Sullivan, part of Williams Academy, has had to withdraw from the Formula 2 Championship for the remainder of 2024 due to a lack of funding, as announced on Monday,

O'Sullivan was in his rookie season of FIA Formula 2 with ART Grand Prix, with Alpine Academy talent Victor Martins as his teammate. After a strong start to life for O'Sullivan, the British driver has had to withdraw due to funding issues.

The 19-year old has been replaced by fellow Williams Academy driver Luke Browning, who will make the step up and graduation from FIA Formula 3 after two full seasons in the championship, with Hitech Pulse-Eight.

Browning will have the chance to showcase his talents in a Formula 2 car, which could be a perfect opportunity to put himself in the window for a full-time seat for the 2025 season.

Williams Racing and ART Grand Prix both announced that Browning would take the place of O'Sullivan on Tuesday evening after O'Sullivan took to social media to announce his withdrawal from the 2024 Formula 2 Championship, on Monday evening.

On his Instagram account, O'Sullivan said: "Firstly I want to thank ART GP for all the support they have given me this season. This year we have had some incredible moments, multiple wins and a big highlight of winning the feature race in Monaco.

"Unfortunately in our sport, there are more factors at play than just the stopwatch. The simple issue comes down to funding, I won't be able to complete this F2 season with ART GP.

"I'm gutted to not be able to show my talents for the rest of the year, but I want to say thank you to all of my sponsors, Williams Racing (where I remain in the Driver Academy) and all of the supporters who are alongside me during this journey. Your support has been invaluable and I can't wait to be able to drive for you and with you again soon."

O'Sullivan had made a bright start to his Formula 2 career after the first 11 rounds. The British driver made the step up after finishing runner up in the 2023 FIA Formula 3 Championship in his second season. O'Sullivan would be beaten to the title by Gabriel Bortoleto.

Partnering 2023 Formula 2 rookie of the year Victor Martins was always going to be a challenge for O'Sullivan but he had dealt with the challenge very well. O'Sullivan has two wins in comparison to Martins' one. O'Sullivan took victory in Monaco as well as the Belgium sprint race, whereas Martins' only victory came in the sprint race in Barcelona.

In terms of the championship standings, 15 points is the difference between Martins and O'Sullivan, with Martins the highest placed driver. O'Sullivan leaves ART eighth in the Teams' Standings. A far from ideal season up to this point for ART.

Replacing O'Sullivan at ART will be another British, Williams Academy talent in Luke Browning, who will make the step up after being in an enthralling title fight that would go down to the final feature race of the season at Monza.

Browning, 22, is set to make his debut in Formula 2 this coming weekend at Baku after an impressive 2024 so far and we will be looking to prove himself once again under the eyes of the watching world.

In his career, Browning first moved into single-seater junior racing back in 2019 in the British F4 Championship. Browning would take until 2020 to win the title, which he did with Fortec Motorsport.

Following on from this, Browning would go on to take the 2022 GB3 Championship title with Hitech Grand Prix. Also, up until his Formula 2 career, Browning and has managed to win the 2023 Macau Grand Prix with Hitech.

2023 was when he would make his debut in Formula 3, for Hitech, where he would have a season of learning, with one podium and one fastest lap which saw him end 15th in the overall standings.

For the following season, Hitech and Browning would pair up once again and this time he would push on towards the title and he would compete all the way until the last race where he could win it no more.

After two wins, two pole positions and three podiums, Browning would put it in a great challenge but would ultimately finish third in the final standings, with 128 points.

It will be a tough first round in Formula 2 for Luke Browning with a tricky street circuit like Baku, in support of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. While it is a really tough moment for O'Sullivan, it is vital for Browning that in the remaining three rounds he can show the Formula 2 world what he can do.

He will make his weekend debut in free practice on Friday morning.

Brandon Whiteside
​Writer - F1 Journal