16 April 2026 12:00 (UTC)
Introducing our new F1 Reserve Driver - and why he chose the McLaren Driver Development Programme
“Probably the best days of my life,” reflects a grinning Leonardo Fornaroli, casting his mind back to a magical few days in December that saw him crowned Formula 2 Champion, sign for the McLaren Driver Development Programme, and celebrate his 21st birthday. “The best gifts I could have asked for,” he adds.
More than three months on, Leo has had time to adjust to his new position as the McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team Reserve Driver, but his excitement hasn’t faded.
Speaking from his new office, the McLaren Technology Centre, Leo’s enthusiasm is unmistakable. Passion is a trait that shines through, while those who have worked with him so far have found him to be grounded and extremely polite. He asks a lot of questions, but each for good reason. He’s inquisitive, but thoughtful.
At the time of our interview, Leo had been preparing for his first Formula 1 test with McLaren, scheduled to take place in Barcelona in the MCL60, the team’s 2023 car. The groundwork for this has included long hours in the simulator and a series of meetings with his new team. It’s all a part of his new normal.
Winning the Formula 3 and Formula 2 Championships back-to-back put Leo on the map, not just in Formula 1 circles, but across the wider motorsport community.
Shortly after securing his F3 title in 2024, he and his family attended the Emilia Romagna Motorcycle Grand Prix in Misano, where he spotted Alessio “Uccio” Salucci, Valentino Rossi’s best friend and assistant.
As a huge fan of the MotoGP legend, Leo instantly recognised Rossi’s right-hand man and went over to ask for a photograph.
"No, I want a picture with you,” Uccio responded. “You're the guy who won the F3 Championship."
“I was like, ‘How can this guy know me?'” laughs Leo.
The two struck up a friendship, and Uccio later invited Leo to Rossi’s ranch - the VR46 Motor Ranch in Tavullia - for the 100km dei Campioni, an annual two-day dirt track event, where he got the chance to meet his hero.
“As well as Formula 1, my father is a big fan of MotoGP,” Leo explains. “He started racing in Motocross before switching to cars, so he’s always loved Valentino - we’ve got a lot of his memorabilia at home, like mini helmets and model bikes.
“I grew up watching him, and meeting him in person last year was one of the biggest moments of my life so far - getting the chance to talk to a hero of mine is something I’ll remember forever.”
Leo is among a crop of promising Italian drivers emerging onto the Formula 1 scene, including current Championship leader Kimi Antonelli and fellow McLaren Development Driver Matteo De Palo.
“It’s a great period for Italian motorsport - we have a lot of young drivers coming through,” he says. “Kimi and I have been close since we were kids because my father raced for his father’s team. We were often at the same circuits growing up, so we share a lot of memories. I wish him all the best this year and in the future. I’m sure he can have an amazing career in Formula 1. Hopefully, I can join him on the grid.”
Although their paths have been similar, Leo actually started slightly later, having first tried a range of other sports, including swimming, football and basketball.
“I tried many sports, but I wasn’t passionate about any of them,” he says. “The first time I jumped in a go-kart, I felt free and happy - and straight away I asked my dad, ‘When can we go next?’”
Leo is aiming to follow in his friend’s footsteps and compete at the highest level. The last few years have underlined his potential, with back-to-back Formula 3 and Formula 2 titles placing him in a select group of just four drivers to achieve the feat.
Those within the paddock had long been aware of Leo’s talent, but his consecutive titles brought him to the attention of the wider F1 fanbase. Unusually for a driver of his calibre, his trajectory didn’t include joining a Formula 1 development programme until he was on the verge of securing his F2 title.
“We started talking towards the end of last year,” Leo says, discussing his decision to sign with McLaren. “It was a privilege that a team that had won the Constructors’ Championship two years in a row - and would go on to win last year’s Drivers’ Championship - was interested in me. I was very proud.
“They offer a really wide racing programme, and they know how to work with young drivers - we’ve seen that with the success Lando has had. We had a lot of meetings, and I could see how passionate everyone was and how much they loved their jobs. They also showed a lot of confidence in me, so I knew McLaren was the right place for me to develop in every aspect.
“I really want to thank everyone at McLaren who has supported me so far - Zak Brown, Andrea Stella, Alessandro Alunni Bravi, and many others - and who have believed in me.”
Also unusual was the way he won his two championships. Leo clinched the Formula 3 title in his sophomore season without winning a race, but was regularly on the podium, while in Formula 2, he only emerged as a genuine contender in the second half of his sole campaign - overturning a points deficit to Championship leader Richard Verschoor, now also part of the McLaren Driver Development Programme, across the final seven rounds.
In both seasons, consistency was his standout strength. While many young drivers show flashes of speed but struggle to deliver it regularly, Leo was able to combine both. In F3, he finished outside the points just twice in 20 races, while in F2, he failed to score on only four occasions in 27.
“I think I showed very good speed, but the most important thing was that I was consistently in the points,” he says. “Even if we weren’t having our best day, I was still able to score as many points as possible.
“I worked very hard on my consistency after my first year in F3. My teammate that year was very consistent, and he won the Championship. In my first season, I sometimes wanted it a bit too much in races, and that led to mistakes or missed opportunities to score points. Over the winter, I worked hard on this - both on the simulator and mentally - and improved a lot in that area in 2024. By 2025, it felt natural.”
His consistency caught the eye, as did his ability to remain composed in the cockpit.
“Not only in motorsport, but in life in general,” he says when asked if he considers himself a calm driver. “I would say I’m more of a calm racer than an aggressive one. I faced a lot of difficult situations last year, but managed to navigate them well.”
The teammate Leo references from his rookie F3 season is another name McLaren fans will be familiar with: Driver Development Programme graduate Gabriel Bortoleto, who has since stepped up to Formula 1 with Audi.
“I didn’t really speak with him about it before signing, but I did afterwards,” he says. “He made me feel confident about my decision. He’s a really good friend, and I want to thank him for everything he did for me. We have a lot of respect for each other, and I wish him all the best this year and in the future.”
Excited by his raw attributes, the team believes Leo has huge potential and will work closely with him to help realise it.
Alongside his role as Formula 1 Reserve Driver, which has already seen him attend the Japanese Grand Prix, Leo will undertake an intensive programme of testing and simulator work, working closely with the Driver Development, TPC and F1 teams, who will help to hone his skills and prepare him to make the step up.
“I am finally working in Formula 1, which has been my dream since I was a child,” he says, smiling. “To be starting my journey with McLaren is amazing. It’s the best I could ask for. They’re such a successful team, and they offer a lot of opportunities.
“As well as spending a lot of time on the simulator and at TPC tests, I’ll be attending races with McLaren, getting used to the environment and learning as much as I can - how the team works, how a driver should work with an F1 team, and how to prepare as best as possible. I’m super excited to be working with people who have so much experience in Formula 1. I know I can learn and improve a lot.”
