Leonardo Fornaroli makes a strong impression during McLaren FP1 debut in Barcelona
The opening free practice session in Barcelona provided several teams with the ideal opportunity to begin fulfilling the regulation that requires at least four FP1 sessions per season to be allocated to young drivers. It was a valuable chance, particularly because rookies have very few opportunities to drive a current-generation Formula 1 car during a race weekend.
While teams with larger resources can organize numerous TPC (Testing of Previous Cars) sessions, the arrival of a new technical era means those cars no longer perfectly reflect the characteristics of the 2026 machines. Among the young talents given an opportunity in Spain was Leonardo Fornaroli, who took to the track in McLaren’s MCL40.
The reigning Formula 2 champion replaced Lando Norris during the first practice session and finished with an impressive fifth-fastest time. However, more than the lap time itself, McLaren was particularly impressed by the way Fornaroli approached a work programme that was far more complex than it may have appeared from the outside.
Andrea Stella praises Fornaroli’s professionalism and technical approach
“It’s an absolutely deserved opportunity. We’ve been working with Leonardo for several months now, and we’ve really appreciated his attitude, both as a person and as a driver. He’s a very interesting individual. He may seem shy, but by far he is the most proactive when it comes to asking engineers questions,” McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella explained during the Barcelona weekend.
Fornaroli joined McLaren at the end of last season after winning the Formula 2 title in his rookie campaign, following his Formula 3 championship triumph the previous year. Throughout the winter and during the opening phase of the 2026 season, Andrea Stella has been able to closely observe the Italian’s professionalism, speed and working methods, qualities that Formula 1 teams value highly.
“He walks around with his notebook, takes a huge number of notes, and whenever he has an idea, he immediately shares it. He’s a really unique profile and, whenever he gets in the car — whether it’s the simulator, a TPC car or a current Formula 1 machine during a practice session — he is fast,” Stella added.
It may seem like a small detail, but for modern Formula 1 teams it is one of the most important characteristics a driver can possess. As the cars become increasingly complex, the ability to work effectively with engineers, identify areas for improvement and provide constructive feedback can make a significant difference. It is a skill that many teams consider just as valuable as raw speed.
McLaren also admired Fornaroli’s maturity on track
McLaren’s appreciation was not limited to Fornaroli’s work away from the cockpit. The Italian also executed the on-track programme with precision and maturity.
Young drivers are typically given three objectives during FP1 sessions: bring the car back without taking unnecessary risks, contribute to setup work, and complete the data collection required to compare simulation results with real-world track behaviour.
For that reason, aerodynamic rakes were installed on Fornaroli’s car during the opening phase of the session to gather data and compare different front wing specifications.
McLaren had introduced a new front wing in Canada, but it was shelved after FP1 because the team did not obtain the results it had hoped for. The wing returned for further evaluation in Monaco before once again being set aside for the remainder of the weekend.
In Spain, the specification reappeared with several modifications to the endplate design as McLaren continued searching for better correlation between simulation tools and track performance. Fornaroli’s primary task during the first part of the session was to perform a direct comparison between configurations.
Data gathering often involves running at constant speed to provide engineers with a stable reference for analysing airflow behaviour. Drivers must carefully monitor traffic through their mirrors while maintaining precise speed targets.
The process is repeated multiple times because mechanics can alter flap settings between runs, allowing engineers to build a more complete aerodynamic map” “During the first part of his FP1 session we gave him several tasks because he had to perform aerodynamic work for us using the rakes, which were there to study the front wing’s behaviour. It wasn’t easy because he had to maintain a constant speed while everyone else was driving at normal pace. He handled it with great professionalism and executed all the procedures very accurately,” Stella confirmed.
“There is a lot of steering wheel management required to maintain the correct speed while also staying clear of traffic.”
More tests planned as McLaren evaluates his future
Although Fornaroli was eventually able to use the soft tyres and demonstrate strong pace, outright lap time was never the primary focus of his first official Formula 1 appearance.
It should also be remembered that he was losing a couple of tenths on the straights due to power unit management and was running the older front wing specification rather than McLaren’s latest version.
“When we gave him two tyre sets, one used and one new, he was quick. And I should say that you can probably take another two tenths off his lap time because he loses about two tenths on the straight. With this power unit you need some familiarity, and as soon as you encounter traffic, the battery state of charge is no longer optimal and you get penalised on the straights,” Andrea Stella explained.
The McLaren Team Principal also spoke about Fornaroli’s future. The Woking-based team clearly sees Formula 1 potential in the young Italian, although opportunities within McLaren itself are limited in the short term. As a result, the team is exploring alternative pathways that could help him reach the grid: “We are therefore very pleased with his attitude, his speed and his consistency. Leonardo is undoubtedly an asset for Formula 1’s future. We want him to race, and certainly one day he could race for McLaren, but we also believe he needs to explore opportunities in Formula 1, and we will do that together with him.”
While his long-term future remains uncertain, Fornaroli already has several additional tests lined up. These include further FP1 appearances with the MCL40 during the remainder of the season, as well as numerous TPC outings throughout the year, including a planned test with Haas at Jerez and another session already completed at Monza immediately after the Spanish Grand Prix.
Even though the DNA of the 2026 Formula 1 cars will be significantly different, gaining experience in previous-generation machinery remains extremely valuable, particularly because the step from Formula 2 to Formula 1 is still one of the biggest challenges in motorsport.
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