McLaren talent Leo Fornaroli: Is a Formula 1 debut just a matter of time?

Attentive Formula 1 fans are likely already familiar with the name Leo Fornaroli. The 21-year-old from Italy first caught the eye years ago with some strong performances. In 2024, he was crowned Formula 3 champion, and a year later he secured the championship title in his first full Formula 2 season.

This caught the attention of several Formula 1 team principals, and McLaren recruited him into its own development programme following his Formula 2 title win; he was also delighted to be named a reserve driver for the Woking-based team alongside Pato O’Ward. This season, he is racking up Formula 1 experience in the simulator and on the track. He completed his first test in a Grand Prix car in March at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The promising young driver put his foot down in the 2023 MCL60.

Many test kilometres

He also took part in test sessions in the same car at Silverstone, the Circuit of the Americas in Austin and Monza, and has already put the pedal to the metal in the British heritage team’s current GP car: In Barcelona, he was given the chance to drive world champion Lando Norris’s car, and he seized the opportunity to shine with the fifth-fastest lap time. He was six-tenths of a second slower than Oscar Piastri in the second McLaren race car.

He was also in action during the first practice session at the most recent Formula 1 weekend in Budapest. This time, he was allowed to drive Oscar Piastri’s car. Setting fast lap times wasn’t the main focus, which is why he ultimately finished in 16th place. Nevertheless, team principal Andrea Stella is pleased with the Italian’s performances.

“Leo is approaching Formula 1 with a great deal of maturity. So far, he has always been very conscientious and attentive in the run-up to every test; he has never overdone it, but instead has worked step by step with great diligence,” praised the engineer.

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“Our engineers are very pleased with his progress at every test and with his performance in the two free practice sessions he took part in – first in Barcelona and then in Budapest,” Stella continues. “I believe his progress through our development programme is going exactly as it should, and we hope that further opportunities for his development will soon present themselves,” he adds, looking ahead to Fornaroli’s next career step.

There won’t be a place available for Fornaroli at McLaren any time soon, though the fast-rising young star could make his debut season with another Formula 1 team. There is certainly interest in him; for example, he is reportedly in talks with Haas for a seat next season. The US team was able to see his driving skills for themselves, as Fornaroli took the wheel of Haas’s VF-25 for a two-day test at Jerez in June.