McLaren development driver Leonardo Fornaroli will make his second Formula 1 practice appearance this weekend at the Hungarian Grand Prix, taking over Oscar Piastri's MCL40 for the opening 60-minute session at the Hungaroring.
The 21-year-old Italian, back-to-back F3 and F2 champion, made his FP1 debut with McLaren in Barcelona last month. Now, just weeks later, he returns to the cockpit for another valuable mileage-gathering exercise as the team prepares for the final race before Formula 1's summer shutdown.
"The Hungaroring is a circuit that demands a high-downforce package and rewards confidence under braking, strong corner entry and good traction," said Randy Singh, McLaren's Senior Director of Racing. "The combination of hot temperatures, relentless corners and limited straights makes tyre management a key factor."
Fornaroli, who also serves as a McLaren reserve driver, expressed his excitement ahead of the session. "Every session is a chance to learn more, gain confidence and contribute to the team's programme for the weekend," he said. "I've been very busy in Woking over the past few weeks preparing this session in both the simulator and at the Optimum Nutrition McLaren Performance Hub, to make sure I'll be as ready as I can."
Alongside Fornaroli's FP1 outing, McLaren will introduce a "valuable package of upgrades" including a new floor and other aerodynamic parts. The team will also trial a developed version of the experimental rear wing that was originally scheduled for testing during the Austrian Grand Prix weekend. However, the rear wing is not expected to be fully introduced in Hungary or at the following race in the Netherlands.
McLaren are aiming to close the gap to the front of the field in what has been a highly competitive season. Singh emphasised the importance of continuous development: "In such a competitive season every development is important, so it will be great to gather further understanding on how those parts perform throughout Free Practice."
For Fornaroli, the session represents another step in his development as he continues to build experience in contemporary F1 machinery, having already completed private tests in older cars before his Barcelona appearance.
Sources
- https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/f2-champion-fornaroli-set-for-next-fp1-run-in-hungary-as-mclaren-roll-out-valuable-updates.770yvF9ufpMPwYeLToYQO0
