Leonardo Fornaroli completed a two-day test at the COTA (Circuit of the Americas) in Austin behind the wheel of the McLaren MCL60, as part of the McLaren Racing development program.
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Leonardo Fornaroli completed a two-day test at the Circuit of the Americas behind the wheel of the McLaren MCL60, as part of the McLaren Racing development program.
2025 Formula 2 champion, the Italian joined McLaren’s young driver program at the end of last season, after securing his title in Qatar.
Now a test and reserve driver for the British team, Fornaroli is set to participate in several sessions under the TPC regulations (Testing of Previous Cars), which allow teams to run their drivers with cars from previous seasons.
Nearly 80 laps in Austin
Now a test and reserve driver for the British team, Fornaroli is set to participate in several sessions under the TPC regulations (Testing of Previous Cars), which allow teams to run their drivers with cars from previous seasons.
For this first experience of the Texas track, Fornaroli completed a total of 77 laps behind the wheel of the MCL60, the car used by McLaren in 2023. This car had a remarkable season: struggling at the start of the year, it became one of the benchmarks on the grid after a series of major technical upgrades.
The test marked the young Italian’s third outing with McLaren, following a previous session held at Silverstone Circuit in the spring.
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“I feel more and more comfortable”
At the end of the test, Fornaroli expressed particular satisfaction with his progress: “It’s always incredible to drive a Formula 1 car. I thank McLaren for giving me another opportunity to take the wheel of the MCL60.”
The 21-year-old driver emphasized that he is gradually gaining confidence with the car and the team: “I feel more and more comfortable with the car and with the team. The program was more ambitious than during my previous test at Silverstone. We notably carried out start simulations, which help me better understand what driving a Formula 1 car requires in real conditions.”
He also praised the constant support of the McLaren development program: “The entire Driver Development Programme team continues to support me and push me to improve through these tests.”
A first in Austin
The Austin circuit was a complete discovery for Fornaroli: “It was my first time at the Circuit of the Americas. I really loved this track and I am already looking forward to my next opportunity behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car.”
While waiting for another test session, the Italian will continue his work with McLaren in the simulator, notably to help the team prepare for the upcoming Monaco Grand Prix. At McLaren, Fornaroli’s technical feedback is clearly highly valued, both during on-track tests and in the simulator.
The young F2 champion does not hide his ambitions: to use this development driver role as a springboard towards a place on the Formula 1 grid in the coming years. Just a few months after his F2 title, every kilometer driven behind the wheel of a McLaren is thus another step towards his ultimate goal: joining the elite of world motorsport.
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