McLaren F1 Team Principal Andrea Stella spoke highly of Leonardo Fornaroli following his first-ever FP1 outing with the team at the 2026 Barcelona-Catalunya GP. While the reigning Formula 2 Champion had previously taken part in TPC (testing of previous cars) outings with McLaren, the session marked his first experience driving a Formula 1 car during an official race weekend.
Following his championship-winning Formula 2 campaign last year, Fornaroli joined the team as its official Reserve Driver for the 2026 season while also becoming part of its Driver Development Programme.
Having impressed Stella and the team during his maiden FP1 outing, the McLaren Team Principal praised the 21 year-old for both his professionalism and outright speed.
Stella: Fornaroli “a very interesting character”
Having worked closely with the Italian for several months, Stella said in a print media session at the 2026 F1 Barcelona-Catalunya GP that he was extremely impressed with Fornaroli’s work ethic and raw speed.
“Leonardo, yesterday, finally, drove a Formula One car. It’s a very deserved opportunity,” he said.
“We have worked with Leonardo for some months now. We have appreciated massively his attitude as a person and as a driver. He’s actually a very interesting character. He looks timid, but by far, he’s the most proactive driver in asking the engineers. He goes around with his notebook, takes several notes, and as soon as he has an idea, he shares it.
“So it’s a very interesting character. And then when he gets in a car, being it a simulator, being it in the TPC testing car, or here, in a free practice one session on a carbon car, he’s fast.”
The young Italian’s talent is undeniable, having claimed back-to-back titles in Formula 3 and Formula 2.
Praises Fornaroli’s “professionalism” and “precision”
In the opening phase of his FP1 outing, Stella revealed that Fornaroli’s session involved a significant aerodynamic testing run plan that helped the team gained a better understanding of their front wing. Once again prasing the 21 year-old’s professionalism in executing the programme, Stella expressed his satisfaction with how Fornaroli performed throughout the session and how effectively he delivered the team’s requirements.
Stella explained: “We gave Leonardo some duties in the first part of his FP1 session, because he needed to do some work for us on the rakes, exactly the rakes to try and understand the behaviour of the front wing. It was difficult, because he needed to go in constant speed while everyone else was at normal speed.
“And he did it with a great level of professionalism and a great level of precision in terms of these procedures. Because there’s a lot of work on the steering wheel to achieve the right speed and stay away from traffic.”
Stella says Fornaroli “an asset” to F1’s future
Despite sitting on the sidelines for the 2026 F1 season, Stella believes Fornaroli is a strong asset and an important part of Formula 1’s future talent pool.
Sharing details about Fornaroli’s run plan, Stella further explained: “And then when we gave him a couple of sets, one used, one new, he was fast. And I have to say that in the lap time he did, you should take away 2 tenths of a second, because he loses 2 tenths of a second down the straight. Because with this power, you need to get some familiarity.
“And as soon as you have to manage some traffic, the state of charge of the battery is not maximum and you’re going to be punished down the straight. So very happy with the aptitude, the speed, the consistency. Leonardo is certainly an asset for Formula One in the future.”
While he may not have a full-time seat at McLaren in the near future, with both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri secured on long-term contracts, Stella still sees a clear future for Fornaroli within the team.
“Leonardo, we want him to drive. Certainly, in the future, he may drive for McLaren Racing. But I think he should. And we work together with Leonardo to explore possibility in Formula One.”
