Leonardo Fornaroli has an impressive record throughout the single-seater categories, winning the 2025 FIA Formula 2 Championship and 2024 FIA Formula 3 Championship back-to-back.

Born in Piacenza, Italy, Leonardo Fornaroli is a promising talent with multiple Championship wins to his name. Starting in karting at a young age, he climbed the motorsport ladder, moving into single-seaters in 2020 with Iron Lynx in Italian Formula 4 before gaining further experience in both the Formula Regional Asian and European Championships.

In 2023, he entered the FIA Formula 3 Championship with Trident, securing his first podium with a second-place finish in the Monaco Sprint, this followed further podiums in both the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya Sprint and the Silverstone Feature Race.

The following season saw further success with seven podiums, including a second-place finish at his home Feature Race in Monza, securing him the 2024 Formula 3 Championship title.

In 2025, Leonardo entered the FIA Formula 2 Championship with Invicta Racing. Known for his calm determination, technical insight, and tyre-management skills, he secured the title in Qatar on Sunday, 30 November.

Leonardo joined the McLaren Driver Development Programme in December 2025 and has taken on a Test and Development role within the Formula 1 team’s structure as part of his involvement within the programme. Alongside these responsibilities, Leonardo will also serve as a McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team Reserve Driver for 2026.

Within his role as Reserve, Test and Development Driver, Leonardo will undertake an intensive testing and sim programme to aid his development and provide invaluable support to the Formula 1 team in an unprecedented era of new regulations.