McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has defended Leonardo Fornaroli’s performances in Formula 1 practice sessions, explaining that the Italian’s lap times do not accurately reflect the work he has carried out for the team. The 2027 McLaren reserve driver will return to the cockpit for FP1 at the Brazilian Grand Prix, where he is expected to receive a programme more focused on outright performance.
Andrea Stella has emphasised that McLaren remains extremely satisfied with Leonardo Fornaroli’s attitude and development, despite the difficulties he has encountered during previous practice appearances. The team principal also explained how technical testing, limited experience and the restrictions on running modern Formula 1 cars have affected the Italian’s opportunities to demonstrate his speed.
McLaren backs Leonardo Fornaroli ahead of Brazilian GP FP1
Leonardo Fornaroli will have another opportunity to drive McLaren’s Formula 1 car during the opening practice session at Interlagos. Unlike some of his previous outings, the Italian is expected to benefit from a programme that gives him greater freedom to concentrate on performance rather than exclusively completing technical assignments.
Andrea Stella confirmed the team’s intentions while outlining its development plans for Leonardo Fornaroli, who has also been retained as McLaren’s third driver for the 2027 season. The Italian team principal stressed that the young driver’s previous FP1 results should not be judged solely on his position in the timesheets.
“We’re happy with Leo. We really like his attitude both inside and outside the car,” Andrea Stella explained. “We want to help him develop, but Formula 1 is going through a period in which it’s difficult for young drivers to gain experience. That’s why we’ve made FP1 sessions and a testing programme with previous-generation cars available to him.”
For McLaren, the objective is to provide Leonardo Fornaroli with meaningful experience while allowing him to contribute to the team’s technical development. However, those responsibilities have sometimes prevented the Italian from concentrating on producing a competitive lap time.
Andrea Stella explains Leonardo Fornaroli’s Mexico GP FP1 difficulties
One of the main reasons behind Leonardo Fornaroli’s relatively modest practice results is the nature of the work McLaren has asked him to complete. According to Andrea Stella, the Italian has frequently been assigned important technical tasks that do not necessarily allow him to demonstrate his outright speed.
“We ask him to carry out very important work for the team, even though it doesn’t allow him to particularly stand out,” Andrea Stella explained. “In Mexico, for example, he carried out several car configuration tests, especially related to cooling. And that inevitably limited the performance aspect.”
The Mexico City Grand Prix presented particular technical challenges, making cooling-related testing an important part of McLaren’s practice programme. Leonardo Fornaroli’s responsibilities therefore extended beyond the conventional objective of setting the fastest possible lap.
Those assignments have been particularly important for a team that has faced performance difficulties with its Formula 1 car during the latter stages of the 2026 season.
Boost preparation and braking mistakes affected Fornaroli’s lap times
Andrea Stella also identified several specific incidents that affected Leonardo Fornaroli’s lap times during previous Formula 1 practice appearances. At both Barcelona and Mexico City, the Italian lost significant time on the straights when attempting a fast lap because he had not prepared the electrical energy boost correctly.
“Both in Barcelona and in Mexico, when he tried to set a fast lap, he lost quite a lot of time on the straight because he hadn’t prepared the boost correctly,” Andrea Stella explained.
Another setback occurred in Hungary, where a braking lock-up damaged Leonardo Fornaroli’s tyres and prevented him from improving his lap time later in the session. These incidents have contributed to results that, according to McLaren, do not fully represent his potential.
The team principal acknowledged that Leonardo Fornaroli still has areas to improve, particularly under braking. However, he stressed that those difficulties are closely linked to the limited amount of time the young driver has spent behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car.
“There are still some elements related to inexperience because Leo hasn’t driven enough. In particular, he needs to improve his braking, which is a fundamental aspect for anyone coming into Formula 1. In Mexico, we also saw that it was particularly difficult even for our regular drivers.”
McLaren promises more performance-focused running at Interlagos
Despite those challenges, McLaren’s confidence in Leonardo Fornaroli remains unchanged. Andrea Stella believes the team has a responsibility to create suitable development programmes for its young drivers rather than assessing their abilities exclusively through the final classification of practice sessions.
The Brazilian Grand Prix will therefore provide an opportunity to adjust Leonardo Fornaroli’s programme and allow him to concentrate more directly on lap times.
“In Brazil, we’ll try to give Leonardo the opportunity to complete a few runs that are more performance-oriented,” Andrea Stella confirmed.
The change should give the Italian a better opportunity to demonstrate his pace while continuing to gain valuable experience with the Formula 1 machinery. McLaren’s approach reflects its intention to balance the team’s immediate technical requirements with the longer-term development of its young driver.
Leonardo Fornaroli’s 2027 WEC and Le Mans plans form part of McLaren development strategy
Andrea Stella also highlighted a wider problem facing young drivers in modern Formula 1: the limited opportunities available for testing. He recalled that during his earlier career working with Michael Schumacher, teams could dedicate considerably more time to both car development and driver improvement through specific testing programmes.
That approach has become much more difficult under the restrictions governing contemporary Formula 1. As a result, McLaren is looking to its involvement in other racing categories to provide Leonardo Fornaroli with additional competitive experience.
“We’re fortunate to have several categories in which McLaren is involved, and we want Leo to drive as much as possible. That’s what he needs,” Andrea Stella explained.
A central part of that strategy is McLaren’s 2027 World Endurance Championship programme, in which Leonardo Fornaroli is set to play an integral role. Alongside his Formula 1 responsibilities, the Italian will compete in the endurance world championship next season with McLaren’s first Hypercar.
That programme will also include Leonardo Fornaroli’s first appearance at the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans, providing another opportunity to develop his racing experience beyond Formula 1.
For McLaren, the objective is clear: give Leonardo Fornaroli as much meaningful track time as possible while continuing to support his development within the organisation. His next opportunity comes at Interlagos, where Andrea Stella hopes a more performance-focused FP1 programme will allow the Italian to show more of his potential.
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