McLaren driver completes 'advanced' test during F1 break

McLaren reserve driver Leonardo Fornaroli returned to F1 machinery on Tuesday, completing his second test with the team at Silverstone as part of his ongoing development programme.

The 21-year-old Italian drove the MCL60, McLaren's 2023 challenger, for 68 laps totalling 393 kilometres around the British circuit.

Working with McLaren's Testing of Previous Cars Team, Fornaroli ran a more advanced programme than his maiden outing, focusing on longer runs with varying fuel loads and switching between hard and soft tyres.

"Another good day on track; it was amazing to be back in the MCL60," Fornaroli said. "Silverstone is one of my favourite circuits, so I'm grateful to McLaren for the opportunity to get back behind the wheel of an F1 car there."

The test marked a step forward in complexity from his debut outing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in March, where he completed 110 laps across two days.

"With it being my second test, the run plan was more advanced, so I got to try some different setups and run with different levels of fuel, which continues to support my understanding of driving a Formula 1 car," Fornaroli explained.

"I'm very happy with today, and I continued to make improvements from my test a few weeks ago, getting even more comfortable with these machines."

Championship pedigree

Fornaroli arrives at McLaren with an impressive junior career record, having secured back-to-back championships in 2024 and 2025.

He claimed the 2024 FIA Formula 3 title with Trident in remarkable fashion, becoming the first driver to win the F3 or GP3 championship without taking a single race victory during the season.

He followed that with the 2025 FIA Formula 2 championship as a rookie with Invicta Racing, sealing the title with a round to spare in Qatar and earning the Anthoine Hubert Award for top rookie.

McLaren announced Fornaroli as their reserve, test and development driver in January. Since his Barcelona test, he has maintained a regular presence at the McLaren Technology Centre, logging extensive simulator hours and supporting the race team trackside, including attending the Japanese Grand Prix.

Further tests in the MCL60 are planned throughout the year at various circuits as Fornaroli continues his preparation within McLaren's Driver Development Programme.

"I look forward to continuing to test this year, something that is very important as part of my role as McLaren Mastercard Reserve Driver, and for my development within the DDP programme," he said.