McLaren have confirmed that reigning Formula 2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli will make his second Free Practice 1 appearance of the season at this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix, with the team also set to introduce a significant upgrade package at the Hungaroring.
The 21-year-old Italian, who won back-to-back F3 and F2 titles in 2024 and 2025 respectively, will take over Oscar Piastri's MCL40 for the opening 60-minute session on Friday. Fornaroli made his F1 weekend debut in Barcelona last month, driving Lando Norris's car through FP1, and has since been preparing extensively at McLaren's Woking base.
"I'm looking forward to driving the MCL40 in this weekend's Free Practice 1 at the Hungaroring," said Fornaroli, who serves as McLaren's development driver and reserve. "Every session is a chance to learn more, gain confidence and contribute to the team's programme for the weekend."
Fornaroli has been working in the simulator and at the Optimum Nutrition McLaren Performance Hub to prepare for the session. His FP1 outings form part of McLaren's driver development programme, giving the two-time junior champion valuable mileage in modern F1 machinery as he continues his progression through the ranks.
Alongside Fornaroli's FP1 duties, McLaren will bring a "valuable package of upgrades" to Budapest, including a new floor and other aerodynamic components that will be evaluated across Friday practice. The reigning constructors' champions currently sit third in the standings, 163 points behind leaders Mercedes, and are looking to regain momentum before the summer shutdown.
During FP1 only, McLaren will also run an experimental rear wing design that was originally scheduled for testing at the Austrian Grand Prix but was not deployed. According to the team, the wing is not planned for full introduction in Hungary or at the following round in the Netherlands.
Randy Singh, McLaren's Senior Director of Racing, said the team's objective is to maximise performance at a circuit that has rewarded McLaren with one-two finishes for the past two seasons.
"The Hungaroring demands a high-downforce package and rewards confidence under braking, strong corner entry and good traction," Singh said. "Our aim is to maximise everything we have available, carry positive momentum into the shutdown and put ourselves in the strongest possible position for the second half of the championship."
The Hungarian Grand Prix weekend runs from July 24-26 at the Hungaroring.
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
- https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1101536/1/mclaren-outlines-details-hungary-f1-upgrade-least-one-item-wont-be-raced
