McLaren have confirmed that last year's Formula 2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli will drive for its newest racing project, the World Endurance Championship hypercar programme, and will also continue as the official reserve driver for its Formula 1 team. The announcement comes after the Italian was overlooked by Haas for a 2027 F1 seat.
Fornaroli's F1 hopes dashed
Fornaroli was signed by McLaren after winning the F2 title, with the focus on finding him a place on the Formula 1 grid. That proved difficult, as the driver market this year has not been as active as predicted at the start of the season. More than half of the F1 grid began the year in the final 12 months of their contracts, but the big hitters who might have moved, including Max Verstappen considering his Red Bull future and veteran Fernando Alonso pondering retirement, decided to stay put.
This led to drivers being handed contract extensions up and down the grid. The exception was at Haas, where current F2 title-contender Rafael Camara was chosen to replace Esteban Ocon, who lost his place. Camara, a Ferrari academy driver, came out on top after Haas spent months assessing potential new drivers, including their own reserve Jack Doohan, candidates put forward by partners Ferrari and Toyota in the form of Camara and Ryo Hirakawa respectively, and also Fornaroli.
McLaren's backup plan
Fornaroli knew he would have to spend 2026 on the sidelines but hoped that joining McLaren would help him find a seat for next year. With Lando Norris recently signing a new extension and Oscar Piastri also on a multi-year deal, a seat with McLaren itself was never on the cards. McLaren worked to place Fornaroli elsewhere, focusing on the potential vacancy at Haas given it was one of the only likely-looking opportunities. While Ocon was indeed ousted, and Fornaroli was given the chance to test for the American team, he missed out to Camara.
Now McLaren are onto their backup plan. Fornaroli was announced on Monday as one of its drivers for its debut season in the World Endurance Championship. The hypercar programme, which McLaren Racing has worked on for years, will race competitively for the first time next year.
Dual role for the Italian
Fornaroli will be part of that history-making squad, while still retaining a tie to the F1 world. Alongside his WEC racing duties, which include the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Italian will work as the official reserve driver to the McLaren F1 team and will be called upon to fill in should Norris or Piastri be unable to race for any reason.
Fornaroli said: "Joining the McLaren Hypercar Team is an incredibly exciting next step in my career and I'm grateful that my role as McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 reserve driver has opened up this incredible opportunity. I'm delighted to be continuing in that role next year while also taking on this new challenge."
He added: "To represent McLaren in the FIA World Endurance Championship and at the 24 Hours of Le Mans is a huge honour, and I am ready to give everything as we take on this new challenge together. I'd like to thank the McLaren Driver Development Programme for supporting me throughout my journey and for giving me the opportunity to develop my skills on such a competitive and prestigious stage."
Fornaroli is one of only five drivers to have won back-to-back Formula 3 and Formula 2 titles, another being Piastri. James Barclay, team principal of McLaren's hypercar squad, called his new driver "an exceptional talent" and backed him to shine on the WEC stage.
Barclay said: "We have a great driver lineup forming, which blends experienced sports car drivers and now young talent for our debut season. I worked with Leo briefly in my previous role and his approach and performance impressed me very much, we both look forward to taking on McLaren's debut season in the World Endurance Championship together."
