McLaren 'supporting' driver to secure first-time F1 seat for 2027 season

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella admits he is very impressed by the potential of reserve and development driver Leonardo Fornaroli.

The 21-year-old became Formula 1 champion last year with Invicta and became the eighth driver in history to win the title in their rookie season.

Fornaroli was then rewarded with a role at McLaren, where he became their reserve and development driver. As part of that experience, the young Italian has already taken part in several Free Practice 1 sessions, with outings at both the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and the Hungaroring this year.

McLaren are well aware of the huge talent they have on their books, with Stella eager to secure him a seat on the Formula 1 roster as early as next year.

In the latest McLaren Q&A session, Stella was asked about the youngster: "Leo is showing great maturity in his approach to F1. So far, he’s always been very meticulous and attentive in the run-up to each test, never overdoing it but instead working step by step with great diligence.

"Our engineers are very pleased with how he is progressing at every test and how he performed in the two Free Practice sessions he took part in, first in Barcelona and then in Budapest.

"I believe his journey through our Driver Development Programme is going exactly as it should, and we hope it will soon offer him further opportunities for growth."

Fornaroli in talks with Haas

McLaren might have a long-term interest in the development of Fornaroli, but it has been reported that they could loan him out for the 2027 Formula 1 season.

GPblog understands that the Italian racing driver is 'eyeing a seat' at Haas F1 next season and could be selected to replace Esteban Ocon in their lineup.

It is claimed that Fornaroli's management are trying to secure him a spot with the American team, which would allow him to gain priceless experience and compete alongside Oliver Bearman.

The report also claims that McLaren support the idea of Fornaroli driving for another team at this stage of his career and would be willing to sanction a loan.

In a previous interview, Stella stated: "Leonardo is certainly an asset for Formula 1 in the future. Leonardo, we want him to drive, certainly. In the future, he may drive for McLaren Racing, but I think we should work together with Leonardo to explore possibilities in Formula 1."