Italian driver Leonardo Fornaroli and Mexican racer Pato O’Ward are set to be McLaren’s reserve drivers for the 2026 season, ready to step in if Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri are unavailable. McLaren has officially confirmed its reserve and development driver lineup, defining the roles within its young driver program.
McLaren finalizes its driver pool
McLaren has formalized the roster of drivers included in its young driver program, a pool that now includes nine talented names: Christian Costoya, Matteo De Palo, Leonardo Fornaroli, Ella Häkkinen, Ella Lloyd, Pato O’Ward, Ella Stevens, Dries Van Langendonck, and Richard Verschoor.
Within this group, Leonardo Fornaroli and Pato O’Ward will serve as the reserve drivers, essentially the ones tasked with stepping in if the regular drivers, Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri, are unable to compete. Leonardo Fornaroli has a slight advantage over Pato O’Ward in this role, as he does not have a parallel racing program and will remain fully present with the Woking team throughout the 2026 season.
“I am thrilled to take on such an important role as a reserve driver within the McLaren Driver Development Programme,” said Leonardo Fornaroli. “This represents a significant step forward in my career, and I cannot wait to contribute to the success of such a winning team. I owe a huge thanks to Zak, Andrea, and Alessandro for this opportunity.”
“We have selected a group of nine incredibly talented drivers, demonstrating the strength of our academy,” stated Alessandro Alunni Bravi. “We are all eager to see their progress this season, knowing that we are preparing them for multiple championships including F1, IndyCar, and the WEC. It’s fantastic to have Leonardo Fornaroli with us as a reserve driver.”
With this announcement, McLaren ensures it has a blend of youth and experience ready to support its main F1 campaign while simultaneously nurturing the next generation of stars for its global racing efforts in the United States and the World Endurance Championship.
Leave a Reply