McLaren has reaffirmed its religion in Leonardo Fornaroli – and is taking its dedication to the Italian driver a step additional. Fornaroli has been confirmed because the System 1 group’s reserve and third driver for the 2027 season, however his programme can even embody a second, prestigious problem: making his World Endurance Championship debut behind the wheel of McLaren’s new Hypercar.
It marks the start of an essential new chapter in Fornaroli’s profession, permitting him to proceed his improvement in F1 whereas returning to top-level competitors and contributing to a undertaking that may carry the Woking-based producer again to the top of endurance racing.
His continued involvement in McLaren’s F1 programme is a big step. All through 2026, Fornaroli has strengthened his relationship with the group via a programme that has included Testing of Earlier Vehicles (TPC) periods, two Grand Prix free apply appearances and in depth simulator work. That improvement programme will proceed subsequent season alongside his WEC commitments.
“The programme McLaren has given me this yr has been unbelievable,” Fornaroli advised Autosport. “The TPC days I’ve accomplished with the group, the 2 FP1 periods and all of the work I’ve performed within the simulator have been extraordinarily worthwhile experiences. Each time I work with the group, I study one thing new. I need to thank McLaren for the assist and the event alternatives they’re giving me.”
The expertise gained in F1 can even present an essential basis for his new problem in endurance racing, a self-discipline that may inevitably require a interval of adaptation. Fornaroli is nicely conscious of that, however believes his expertise to this point has geared up him with worthwhile instruments.
“All of this can even be essential for the WEC, as a result of it is a particularly aggressive championship and there will probably be a lot to study, from overtaking to technique, in addition to, after all, attending to know a very new automotive.”
Leonardo Fornaroli, McLaren
Picture by: Steven Tee / LAT Photographs through Getty Photographs
Fornaroli has already had his first style of the McLaren Hypercar, though his preliminary expertise behind the wheel was restricted to only a handful of kilometres.
Yesterday, the Italian accomplished a single lap, sufficient to find sensations not like something he had skilled earlier than. His first correct check with the group is scheduled to start as we speak, permitting him to change into extra acquainted with the Hypercar and begin improvement work forward of its WEC debut.
“It was an amazing expertise,” Fornaroli admitted. “Getting right into a closed cockpit for the primary time, shutting the door and setting off first on electrical energy earlier than the combustion engine kicked in was one thing utterly new to me, however actually, actually cool. I can not wait to get again within the automotive and full my first correct kilometres with the group.”
Fornaroli can even play an energetic position in growing the Hypercar, additional underscoring his involvement within the undertaking. McLaren will enter its debut WEC season with appreciable ambitions, and the younger Italian is assured that the organisation has every thing it wants to fulfill the problem.
“It is an incredible feeling to be a part of this programme. Clearly, it will likely be our first yr within the WEC, however I am very assured. The motive force line-up is extraordinarily aggressive, with some very skilled drivers and a few very proficient younger drivers.
“The engineers are extremely expert, and so are the mechanics. We’re speaking about McLaren, a group that has achieved some unbelievable successes all through motorsport historical past. Racing with them subsequent yr goes to be superb.”
Leonardo Fornaroli, McLaren
Picture by: Simon Galloway / LAT Photographs through Getty Photographs
Past the technical points and the profession alternatives, the endurance programme additionally fulfils a want Fornaroli has by no means tried to cover: getting again to racing.
After a season spent largely on the sidelines as a reserve driver, observing the inside workings of a System 1 group, the prospect of competing wheel-to-wheel once more supplies a very highly effective motivation.
“Sure, I’ve actually missed racing,” he admitted. “Each weekend I am on the monitor as a reserve driver, I get very jealous after I see Lando and Oscar racing. So getting again to racing goes to be an unbelievable feeling.”
The 2027 calendar can even characteristic a very particular occasion: the 24 Hours of Le Mans. For Fornaroli, it will likely be extra than simply one of the essential races of the season. It should imply fulfilling a long-held ambition a lot prior to he ever anticipated.
“Completely. Le Mans has at all times been a dream of mine. I by no means anticipated to have the chance to race there as early as subsequent yr.
“It is a race I’ve considered for a few years, and to have the ability to participate so quickly will probably be unbelievable. I observe the 24 Hours yearly, even staying up late into the night time to look at it. I feel it will likely be a really particular feeling to race at such a novel place as Le Mans for the primary time.”
Leonardo Fornaroli, McLaren, Will Joseph, Director of Race Engineering, McLaren
Picture by: Steven Tee / LAT Photographs through Getty Photographs
The 2027 season is due to this fact shaping as much as be a very essential one for Fornaroli’s future.
On one hand, he’ll keep his place inside McLaren’s System 1 programme, with the chance to additional strengthen his relationship with the group and proceed his improvement. On the opposite, he’ll return to aggressive racing in a world championship of the very best degree, whereas enjoying an energetic position in growing a completely new automotive.
Two totally different however complementary commitments via which McLaren will proceed to spend money on the younger Italian, providing him a programme that mixes driver improvement, technical expertise and, maybe most significantly for Fornaroli, the prospect to race once more.
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